By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Niles varsity softball team opened its season with a big doubleheader win on Thursday night at Battle Creek Central.
The Vikings, now 2-0, took the 12-1 win in the first game and a 15-0 win in the second game.
Battle Creek, 2-4, took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Niles quickly took over and scored six runs in the top of the second. The Vikes scored another run in the top of the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth to give them the 12-1 win.
Julie Kater was the winning pitcher for Niles against Mary Campbell.
Top hitters for Niles were Kater, who went 3-5 with two RBIs, Lindsay Carey went 3-4, Kayla Gross went 2-4, Nicole Ignowski went 2-4, Stephanie Schrader with a double and Karly Kennedy with two RBIs.
Niles was able to score in all four innings of the second game. The Vikings scored four runs in the first inning, one in the second, six in the third and four in the fourth to give them the 15-0 win.
The game was ended in the fifth due to ten run rule.
Kater was again the winning pitcher for Niles against Campbell.
Top hitters were Kate Whittaker who went 3-3 with a double and three RBIs, Carey went 2-4, Gross went 2-2 with three RBIs, Kennedy went 2-2 with three RBIs, and Kater and Schrader both had a double for Niles.
The Vikings return to action on Tuesday at homefor a doubleheader against Battle Creek Lakeview. Game time is set to begin at 4:30 p.m.