By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Niles varsity baseball team opened its season on Saturday at the Adams Invitational.
The Vikes played two games and suffered losses during both, to start the year with an 0-2 record.
In the first game, Niles faced host Adams, which took a 7-3 win over the Vikings.
Niles started the game with a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. However, Adams scored two runs in the second inning, three in the third and two in the fifth, while the Vikes were unable to score again.
Lyle Watson suffered the loss at the mound. Drew Donohue also picthed for the Vikes.
Donohue was the lone top hitter for Niles, going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.
In the second game, Niles faced Wheeler and fell 20-8.
Niles had a 4-3 advantage over Wheeler after two innings of play. In the third, Wheeler scored six runs, while Niles was only able to score one, bringing the score to 9-5 and giving Wheeler the lead for good.
The Vikes were only able to score two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh, while Wheeler went on to score two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and six in the seventh.
Jake Ferguson suffered the loss on the mound. Dustin Anderson and Tim Hardy proalso picthed for the Vikings.
Top hitters for Niles were Josh Beers, who went 3-for-4 with three singles. Alex Welch went 2-for-4 with two singles, Ferguson went 2-for-4 with a single and a double and Anderson went 2-for-2 with two doubles.
The Vikes will host South Bend St. Joseph on Tuesday for their home opener. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
First game
Adams 023 02 - 7 10 2
Niles 210 00 - 3 6 0
Mike Szucs (W,1-0), Lyle Watson (L,0-1)
2B: Donahue (N), Chase Alward (A), Eric Heckaman (A), Ryan Vrana (A)
3B: Donahue (N)
Records: Adams 4-1, Niles 0-1
Second game
Wheeler 036 230 6 - 20 18 0
Niles 041 020 1 - 8 11 4
Jake Ferguson (L)
2B: Ferguson (N), Anderson (N) 2
Records: Niles 0-2