By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
EDWARDSBURG – The beat goes on for the Niles varsity softball team.
The Lady Vikings ran their winning streak to 20 games as they posted a pair of non-confernce wins over host Edwardsburg on Thursday.
Niles won the first game 4-0 on a one-hitter by Jenna Ignowski, while in the nightcap, the Lady Vikings won 6-0 behind a three-hitter by Ignowski.
Niles has now shut out 19 of its 20 opponents.
Ignowski had 30 strikeouts in the doubleheader and did not walk a single batter.
To its credit, Edwardsburg did play well against the No. 1 team in Division 2.
The Lady Eddies didn't get many hits off of Ignowski, but did put the ball in play numerous times.
"They put the ball in play as well as anyone we have played," Niles coach Gary Collins said. "I thought their pitchers did a nice job against us."
Niles was held in check offensively in the opening game by Edwardsburg hurler Jeni Bollenbacher.
"I just think that Bollenbacher's good," answered Collins when asked about getting just four hits in the first game. "I have said that all along. She just keeps them in games and really, I think this is one of the better teams we have played. They do everything well, they are coached really well and I don't think we were flat, I just think we didn't hit her pitch."
The Lady Vikings managed just four hits off of the senior, but two of them were home runs and accounted for all of Niles' scoring.
Maggie Ernsberger staked the Lady Vikings to a 3-0 lead in the third inning with a three-run home run.
"She hit a good pitch," Edwardsburg coach Kenny Jankowski said.
Ernsberger took a Bollenbacher change-up, which was a little below the knees and golfed it out of the park.
Nellie Coquillard hit a solo home run in the fourth to complete the scoring.
In the second game, Niles had 10 hits, led by Coquillard's three hits. Niles also got two hits from Cricket Fisher and doubles from Heather Daniels and Erica Gordon. Daniels also had a single, while Gordon drove in two runs.
"We hit the ball and we hit the ball well again today," Collins said. "We just didn't execute. You have got to get the bunt down and we didn't. Now some of that was the pitching. But we will work on getting the bunt down. I thought we were much better in the second game.
First Game
Niles 003 100 0 – 4 4 1
Edwardsburg 000 000 0 – 0 1 0
WP – Jenna Ignowski (N, 18-0) and Maggie Ernsberger
LP – Jeni Bollenbacher (E, 10-5) and Deb Burton
HR: Ernsberger (N), Nellie Coquillard (N)
Second Game
Niles 200 310 0 – 6 10 0
Edwardsburg 000 000 0 – 0 3 2
WP – Jenna Ignowski (N, 19-0) and Nellie Coquillard
LP – Lorin Thompson (E, 2-1) and Deb Burton
2B: Heather Daniels (N)
3B: Erica Gordon (N)
Records
Niles 20-0, Edwardsburg 12-6