Things are starting to come together for the Dowagiac softball team according to coach Mike Behnke.

The Chieftains swept visiting South Bend (Ind.) Washington Saturday morning. Dowagiac’s invitational tournament was canceled due to the weather, but the Panthers agreed to play a twinbill against the Chieftains instead.

Dowagiac (4-2) won the opening game 5-4 after holding off a last-inning rally by South Bend Washington. In the second game, the Chieftains cruised to a 10-1 win in six innings.

In the opener, Dowagiac built up a 4-0 lead through the first five innings on the Panthers before Washington scored a run in the fifth to avert the shutout.

The Chieftains answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the sixth to reclaim a four-run advantage. But the Panthers weren’t done yet, scoring three times in the top of the seventh and putting the tying run in scoring position before Dowagiac was able to squash the rally.

Tara Sova (2-1) picked up the victory for the Chieftains despite giving up 13 hits.

Dowagiac finished with nine hits, including a 2-for-3 performance with a double, a RBI and two stolen bases from Katie Lorenz. Rachel Bailey was also 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Devon Ownby singled and drove in a pair of runs.

In the second game, Miranda East (2-1) scattered seven hits and allowed just one run as Dowagiac cruised.

The Chieftains finished with 13 hits in the contest and scored eight of its 10 runs in the first three innings.

Kristyn Turner was 3-for-3 with two RBIs to pace the Dowagiac offense, which also got two hits from Sova, Amanda Craft, Lorenz and Bailey. Lorenz picked up another double and drove in a run, while Craft drove in a pair of runs. Ownby and East added a single and a RBI to the Dowagiac totals.

“We finally put a complete game together today in the second game,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behke said. “We got good pitching from Miranda, good defense behind her and good hitting. Amanda Craft really shined in the game going 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI and made a spectacular outstretched diving catch on a line drive that she turned into an unassisted double play.

“We will need more games like this coming up because we are hitting the tough part of our schedule playing the likes of South Haven, Lakeshore and St. Joe, all of whom are top five in the preseason Division 2 poll.”

First game
Washington 000 001 3 – 4 13 2
Dowagiac 200 021 x – 5 9 0
Tara Sova (W, 2-1) and Devon Ownby
Sam Rios (L) and Tabby Hook
2B: Katie Lorenz (D), Rachel Bailey (D)
3B: Vanessa Olivarez (W)

Second game
Washington 100 000 – 1 7 3
Dowagiac 314 20x – 10 13 0
Miranda East (W, 2-1) and Devon Ownby
Emily Plencer (L) and Julie Miller
2B: Sara Quickstad (W), Katie Lorenz (D)
Varsity record: Dowagiac 4-2