Dowagiac softball coach Mike Behnke was feeling pretty good about his team at the Chieftain Invitational Saturday.

That was until they played their last game of the day against Berrien Springs.

The Chieftains had rallied to defeat Hartford in the opening game of the tournament, 6-5, and despite an 18-3 loss to No. 1-ranked (Class 3A) Mishawaka Marian, Behnke was pleased with his squad’s effort.

But against the Shamrocks it seemed like Dowagiac could do nothing right. Physical and mental mistakes turned the game into a nightmare for the Chieftains who ended up falling to Berrien Springs 8-7 and finished the tournament with a 1-2 record.

“I thought we were progressing those first two games,” Behnke said. “Even the Marian game wasn’t as bad as that score says it was. But then all of a sudden we came here (Russom Field) and regressed horribly. We have a lot of work to do. Even more than we had to do before we started this game.”

In the opener, Kristyn Turner, Rachel Bailey and Jessica Herthoge each had two hits. Bailey doubled and drove in a pair.

Against Marian, Bailey was 2-for-2 with Meiser doubling and picking up two RBIs.

Sierra Herter and Kourtney Mitchell both doubled in the loss against Berrien Springs.

Chieftain Invitational

At Dowagiac

First game

Hartford 000 230 0 – 5 8 1

Dowagiac 111 003 x – 6 9 1

Taylor Meiser (W, 1-0) and Kourtney Mitchell; Kara Weberg (L) and Kristen Lamphere

2B: Ashley Clark (H), Rachel Bailey (D)

Second game

Marian 107 136 – 18 19 1

Dowagiac 021 000 – 3 7 3

Shannon McCarty (W), Ariel Sheets (5) and Eleen Nagy; Katie Ward (L) and Mitchell

2B: Kathleen Kavanaugh (M) 2, Meiser (D)

HR: Kavanaugh (M) 2, McCarty (M) 2

Third game

Berrien Springs 001 043 0 – 8 9 5

Dowagiac 030 130 0 – 7 6 3

Weaver (W) and Jessica Forraht; Tori Smith (L), Ward (6) and Mitchell

2B: Makenzie Moody (BS) 2, Sierra Herter (D), Mitchell (D)

Varsity record

Dowagiac 2-3