By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A hard fought loss in the first of two games Tuesday evening didn't get the Niles varsity softball teams spirits down in its season home opener.
Portage Central visited Vella Park and gave Niles a 1-0 loss in game one, however, the Lady Vikes handed that loss right back with a 3-1 win in the second game.
The first five innings were scoreless in the game opener. An unearned run in the top of the sixth by the Mustangs proved to be the final margin.
Arnold stated pitchers Jenna Ignowski and Portage Central's Dana Hoopes “both hooked up for a great pitching dual. Not much offense, but both threw great.”
Jenna Ignowski had 10 strikeouts, while Hoopes added seven.
Niles' only two hits came from Stephanee Schrader and Nicole Ignowski.
In the nightcap, a sixth inning rally pushed three Niles runners across the plate to claim a 3-1 win.
Nicole Ignowski provided two RBIs and a double, while Schrader had one RBI and single.
Other top hitters were Jenna Ignowski and Nelli Coquillard, who both had one double each.
Jenna Ignowski took the pitching win against Hoopes, improving her record to 3-2 on the season.
The Vikes, 3-2 overall, will face another tough team today when they travel to Buchanan to face the 6-1 Bucks. The first game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
Niles vs. Portage Central
Game one
Portage Central 000 001 0 - 1 3 0
Niles 000 000 0 - 0 2 1
Dana Hoopes (WP, 5-3), Jenna Ignowski (LP, 2-2)
Game two
Portage Central 000 001 0 - 1 2 1
Niles 000 003 x - 3 5 1
Jenna Ignowski (WP, 3-2), Dana Hoopes (LP, 5-4)
2B: Jenna Ignowski, Nicole Ignowski, Nellie Coquillard
RBI: Nicole Ignowski (2), Stephanee Schrader (1)