Chieftain softball team sweeps Battle Creek to improve to 18-3 on year
Published 10:39 am Wednesday, May 5, 2004
By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Sometimes you have to stand on the back of a team's neck to make sure they don't get up.
Dowagiac swept visiting Battle Creek Harper Creek on Tuesday, 10-0 and 14-0.
The Chieftains (18-3) didn't let up on Harper Creek at any point on Tuesday and showed the type of aggressiveness that coach Randy Brooks has been missing the past few games.
He told his team after the game that sometimes you have to keep pouring it on even though you know that you have a team beat.
His reasoning for wanting to keep that aggressiveness going? Brooks knows there are bigger fish yet to be fried down the road, including Big 16 Conference West Division foes Niles, St. Joseph and Lakeshore.
Dowagiac gave up just four hits on the day, two in each contest.
Brittney Reist picked up the opening game victory as she fanned nine and did not walk a batter.
Maureen Pickar earned the victory in the nightcap as she went four innings, allowing one hit with six strikeouts. Ashley Willis, who has been out of the line up since being injured in Dowagiac's season opener, pitched the fifth inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Offensively the Chieftains banged out 11 hits in the first game, led by Reist and Kim Luthringer, both of whom doubled and singled twice. Reist drove in four runs while Luthringer drove in three runs.
Sarah Luthringer also added a double.
In the nightcap Reist homered and drove in three more runs giving her seven on the day.
Erica Pletz added with two singles as Dowagiac finished with eight hits.
Dowagiac will host Kalamazoo Loy Norrix on Thursday in another non-divisional Big 16 Conference doubleheader. The first game is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
First game
Harper Creek 000 00 -- 0 2 3
Dowagiac 020 62 -- 10 11 0
Brittney Reist (W, x-3); Stephanie Bale (L)
2B: Sarah Bailey (HC), Brittney Reist (D), Kim Luthringer (D), Sarah Luthringer (D)
Second game
Harper Creek 000 00 -- 0 2 0
Dowagiac 017 6x -- 14 8 0
Maureen Pickar (W, 3-0), Ashley Willis (5); A. Bailey (L)
HR: Brittney Reist (D)