By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
COMSTOCK - Historic!
For only the second time in school history, the Dowagiac varsity softball team captured the Division 2 regional softball championship Saturday afternoon at Comstock High School.
The Chieftains, ranked No. 4 in the latest coaches poll, blanked No. 3 Comstock 3-0 on the championship game to advance to Tuesday's quarterfinals at Grand Valley State University.
The Chieftains will take on No. 1 ranked Wyoming Rogers at 5 p.m.
Rogers advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Portland in the regional title tilt, 6-0. Rogers defeated No. 2 ranked Wayland in the semifinals.
Senior Brittney Reist was nearly a one-woman wrecking crew in the regional final.
Reist tossed a one-hitter with five strike outs and two walks. She also hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first to help Dowagiac get out to a 2-0 advantage.
Senior catcher Mandy Parish tripled and scored on an error to complete the first inning scoring.
Reist got plenty of help defensively in the championship game.
In the top half of the first sophomore shortstop Brittany Bruens went deep into the hole on the back-hand side and threw out a Comstock runner at first.
In the sixth inning Comstock threatened to make a game of it when with two runners on, Lindsey Slater dropped a bunt down the third base line.
Sophomore third baseman Holly Lowe faked a throw to first and then spun around to catch the runner at third off the bag.
A rundown ensued and Parish made a diving tag to get the lead runner.
Dowagiac got the next two outs to end the threat.
To make sure that the Lady Colts didn't think about another rally, Dowagiac scored the final run in the bottom half of the sixth on a double by junior Ashley Willis.
Dowagiac finished with eight hits against Comstock's Michelle Thomas.
Parish was 2-for-3, while Reist had the home run and Willis the double. Dowagiac's other hits came from sophomore Calie Daniels, junior Amy Wood and Bruens.
Semifinals
Gull Lake 000 000 0 - 0 1 0
Dowagiac 000 007 x - 7 6 0
Brittney Reist (W, 16-2), Erin Goebel (L)
2B: Ashley Willis (D), Lindsay Tyler (D)
Championship
Comstock 000 000 0 - 0 1 0
Dowagiac 200 001 x - 3 8 1
Brittney Reist (W, 17-2), Michelle Thomas (L)
2B: Ashley Willis (D)
3B: Mandy Parish (D)
HR: Reist (D)
Varsity record: Dowagiac 34-4