By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - It doesn't matter how many runs you score or don't score in a game on offense, if you don't have the defense, you're going to have problems.
Defense is exactly what the Niles softball team has been struggling with since the beginning of the season.
The Lady Vikes traveled to Portage Central Thursday evening for a Big 16 doubleheader and were defeated in both games.
Struggling on both offense and defense in the first game, Niles lost 6-0 to the Mustangs.
Portage Central scored four runs in the first inning alone and the other two came in the third.
Dayna Hoopes was the winning pitcher for the Mustangs over Julie Kater, who's record is now 3-4.
Lindsay Carey and Kate Whittaker were the only two hitters for Niles each getting one hit.
The start of the second game was just like the first.
The Mustangs scored their runs early to give them a quick lead scoring three in the first inning, and one in the second and third innings to put them up 5-0.
The Vikings were able to hold them for the rest of the game with no runs and were able to score two runs of their own in the top of the sixth.
Niles had one last chance to catch up in the seventh, but Portage Central got the outs before the Vikes could score.
Hoopes was again the winning pitcher over Kylee Mudd, who is now 0-3.
Top hitters for Niles were Whittaker and Stephanie Schrader both going 2-for-3 and Kater, Cricket Fisher and Shelley Aurand all getting a hit.
The Vikings, now 3-7 overall, will get a chance to pick up a much needed win on Saturday when they host Watervliet at 12 p.m. at Vella Park.