For some inexplicable reason, the Dowagiac softball team has never swept Wolverine Conference foe South Haven in the 12 years that Mike Behnke has been the coach.

That trend continued Friday as the Chieftains split with the Rams in a Wolverine Conference doubleheader.

South Haven took advantage of four Dowagiac errors to post a 5-1 victory.

The Chieftains responded by dominated the Rams 8-0 behind the one-hitter of Taylor Hulett in the second game.

“Had our first bad inning of the year and it cost us game one,” Behnke said. “You can’t give good teams extra outs and South Haven took advantage of our four errors in that inning. We rebounded well in the second game and had some hard hits off their same pitcher. We will need to work on the small things now to get better defensively.”

Hulett, who was the losing pitcher in the opening game, struck out eight and walked just two.

The Chieftain offense, which struggled in the first game, erupted for 15 hits, including three each from Hulett, Hannah Whitaker and Amiyah Smith.

Whitaker was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Smith was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Megan Soderbloom was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Alyssa Allen singled, doubled and drove in a run, while Mickie Kiggins also doubled and drove in a run.

In the opening game, Hulett allowed just one earned run, while striking out 12 and walking two.

South Haven had eight hits in the contest.

Dowagiac (10-1) had seven hits — two each from Hulett and Kailey Fear.

The Chieftains continue to face top-flight competition this week as they travel to Edwardsburg Tuesday for a Wolverine Conference division showdown with Edwardsburg before heading to Buchanan Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader.

 

SOUTH HAVEN 5-0, DOWAGIAC 1-8

At Dowagiac

First game

South Haven  010     040     0 – 5 8 1

Dowagiac        001     000     0 – 1 7 4

H. Kyrean (W) and F. Lyons; Taylor Hulett (L) and Megan Soderbloom.

 

Second game

South Haven 000     000     0 – 0 1 0

Dowagiac        021     023     x – 8 15 1

Taylor Hulett (W) and Megan Soderbloom; H. Kyrean and F. Lyons.

2B: Mickie Kiggins (D), Alyssa Allen (D).

HR: Soderbloom (D).

Varsity record: Dowagiac 10-1.