By Staff
The Niles Junior Baseball Knights remain perfect in league play after beating the Kalamazoo Sting 4-3 Tuesday night and the Kalamazoo Bandits 13-2 Wednesday night.
The Knights are now 8-0 in the Comstock League.
Jamie Simpson earned the pitching victory over the Sting as he went the distance.
Niles took an early lead when Alex Welch and Simpson scored on a double by Jake Harris in the bottom of the first. The Knights added a run in the fifth when Kyle Prak scored on a double by Welch.
Niles took its 3-0 lead into the seventh inning but the Sting came alive, scoring three runs on three hits.
The Knights put the game away in the bottom of the seventh as Michael Tanke singled, moved to second on a walk to Kyle Prak, then scored on a double by Welch.
Welch led the Knights at the plate, going 2-for-3, both doubles, with two RBIs.
Jeff Jurgonski got the win for Niles against the Bandits.
Niles jumped into the lead with nine runs on seven hits in the second inning, including a three-run in-the-park home run by Kyle Prak. Also getting extra-base hits for Niles were Harris, Keith Prak and Tanke.
The Knights, now 23-4 overall, will host the Westside Warriors Friday evening at Champs Field at 6:30 p.m.
The Niles Junior Baseball Vikings won the USSSA Triple Threat Classic last weekend in Battle Creek.
The Vikings beat South Farmington Blue 4-3 in eight innings, then beat the West Michigan Mavericks 14-1. They also beat the Spring Arbor Cougars 12-4 to win their pool.
In the semifinals the Vikings beat the Buffaloes of Angola, Ind., 3-0, then beat South Farmington Blue 17-1 in three innings.
The championship qualifies the Vikings, which are now 23-3 on the season, for the National Tournament in Canton on July 18-25.
In the first game of the tournament, Taylor Ort earned the pitching victory. He worked all eight innings. Nick Davis and Asaad Ali each hit a triple while Corey Johnson went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Ryan Johnson earned the pitching victory against the Mavericks with relief help from Noah Stevens. Taylor Ort and Dominique Pompey each went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double. Ryan Jonson, Cam Luther and Ali each added a double.
Mike Simpson earned the victory on the mound against the Cougars. Luther led the offense with three hits including a home run. Ryan Johnson hit a triple while Simpson, Tanner Melvin and Alec Taylor each added a double.
Ryan Johnson earned the pitching victory against the Buffaloes as he tossed a two-hit shutout. Andrew Brawley doubled to lead the hitting attack. Pompey and Simpson each added two hits.
The Vikings gave up one run in the top of the first inning of the championship game but quickly erased the deficit with 11 runs in the bottom of the first and went on to post the 17-1 victory.
Ali picked up the victory on the mound while Ort and Luther each doubled to lead the offense. Ryan Johnson, Corey Johnson, Simpson, Brawley and Melvin also had two hits apiece.