By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The Niles varsity softball team set a new school record for victories as it edged host Brandywine 2-0 in the title game of the Matt Kurtis Invitational on Saturday.
The No. 1 ranked (Division 2) Lady Vikings (30-2) went 2-0 on the day, while the No. 6 ranked (Division 3) Brandywine and Dowagiac were both 1-1.
Climax-Scotts ended up 0-2.
The Chieftains (22-9) dropped its opening game to Brandywine 4-1 as the Lady Bobcats scored three runs in the fourth inning and a run in the sixth to erase a 1-0 Dowagiac advantage.
Niles opened up with a 10-0 victory over Climax-Scotts in the second game of the tournament.
The Chieftains rebounded to defeat Climax-Scotts in the consolation game, 8-2.
Dowagiac…1
Brandywine…4
Brandywine outhit Dowagiac 4-2 in the first game.
Kendra Zache and Delaina Schroeder each had a double for the Lady Bobcats. Schroeder also had a single.
Dowagiac's two hits were a triple by Torie Lowe to drive in the lone run for the Chieftains and a single by Felicia Hood.
Zache struck out nine to go along with her two-hitter.
Miranda East took the loss for the Chieftains, allowing three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
Climax-Scott…0
Niles…10
Niles scored two runs in each of the first two innings, three runs in the third and then single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to end the contest due to the mercy rule.
The Lady Vikings finished with 11 hits, including a pair of doubles by Nicole Ignowski, as well as singles and doubles from Cricket Fisher, Jenna Ignowski and Shelley Aurand.
Maggie Ernsberger had two hits for Niles.
Jenna Ignowski tossed a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
Niles…2
Brandywine…0
Niles scored an unearned run in the second inning and then Ernsberger roped a home run in the sixth to account for all the scoring.
Jenna Ignowski tossed another two-hitter with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
Niles had four hits off of Zache, who struck out five.
Nellie Coquillard had a double for the Lady Vikings, while Ernsberger and Stephanie Stoops had the other two hits.
Today, Niles and Lakeshore square off in the pre-district contest at 4:30 p.m. in Edwardsburg. The winner advances to Saturday's Division 2 district semifinals against Edwardsburg.
Brandywine will take on Bridgman on Saturday in Berrien Springs in the Division 3 semifinals. The game is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Matt Kurtis
Memorial Tournament
At Brandywine High School
Game 1
Dowagiac 001 000 0 – 1 2 1
Brandywine 000 310 x – 4 4 1
WP – Kendra Zache (B, 19-11) and Delaina Schroeder
LP – Miranda East (D, 13-4) and Torie Lowe
2B: Zache (B), Schroeder (B)
Game 2
Climax-Scotts 000 000 – 0 2 6
Niles 223 111 – 10 11 0
WP – Jenna Ignowski (N( and Maggie Ernsberger
LP – Burgett (C-S) and Hill
2B: Cricket Fisher (N), Ignowski (N), Nicole Ignowski (N)2, Shelley Aurand (N)
Consolation Game
Dowagiac 104 102 0 – 8 11 0
Climax-Scott 011 000 0 – 2 9 3
WP – Tara Soca (D, 9-5) and Torie Lowe
LP – Burgett (C-S) and Amanda Hill
Championship Game
Niles 010 001 0 – 2 2 2
Brandywine 000 000 0 – 0 2 2
WP – Jenna Ignowski (N) and Maggie Ernsberger
LP – Kendra Zache (B) and Delaina Schroeder
2B: Zache (B), Becky Modlin (B), Nellie Coquillard (N)
HR: Ernsberger (N)
Records
Niles 30-2, Dowagiac 22-9, Brandywine xx-xx