By BY ERIKA PICKLES / NIles Daily Star
NILES - The Niles varsity baseball team suffered its first loss Saturday afternoon as it split a doubleheader with Portage Central winning the first game 4-1 and falling in the second 9-1.
The Mustangs, who also suffered their first loss, held onto the 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth when the Vikings scored their first two runs of the game.
Niles turned around and scored two more in the top of the seventh and held Portage Central in the bottom of the seventh to claim the 4-1 win.
Matt Richardson was the winning pitcher in the first game against Chris gates.
Top hitters for the Vikes were Steve Clanton who went 3-3 with a double and Cory Coquillard who went 2-4.
In the second game the Mustangs dominated the field scoring six runs before Niles could score its first and only run in the top of the fourth.
The Mustangs scored another run in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the bottom of the fifth to five them the 5-1 in over the Vikings.
Tim Mowery was the winning pitcher for Portage Central against Jesse Sallak. Coquillard was the top hitter for Niles going 2-3 with a double.
The Vikes, now 6-1, travel to Battle Creek Lakeview on Tuesday. Game time is set to begin at 4 p.m.