By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Seven errors nearly blew it for the Niles varsity softball team Tuesday in a Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference doubleheader with Coldwater at Vella Park.
The Vikings, however, overcame the miscues to sweep the Cardinals 4-3 and 5-3 to improve to 8-10 on the season. Coldwater is 4-18 overall.
Coldwater, on the other hand, was nearly perfect on defense, committing just three errors on the day.
Kayla Gross had a big day at the plate for the Vikings as she hit a triple in each game, a single in the second game and drove in three runs in the first game. Nikki Lintz also hit a triple in the first game for Niles.
Kari Eckstein improved to 3-6 with the pitching victory in the first game. Crystal Crouch improved to 5-4 with the win in the second game.
Kate Whittaker hit a single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning that drove in Jessica Johnson and gave the Vikings the one-run edge.
The Vikings travel to Dowagiac Thursday for a SMAC West Division doubleheader.
Niles…………4
Coldwater….3
Coldwater 100 000 2--3 4 1
Niles 010 002 1--4 5 3
Kari Eckstein (W, 3-6).
3B: Kayla Gross (N), Nikki Lintz (N)
Niles…………5
Coldwater….3
Coldwater 010 110 0--3 4 2
Niles 000 401 x--5 6 4
Crysta Crouch (W, 5-4); Anna Szadfranski (L).
3B: Kayla Gross (N)
Team records: Niles 8-10, Coldwater 4-18