Host Niles had a couple bad innings and it cost the Vikings a pair of SMAC West Division softball games Tuesday.

Niles was swept by visiting Portage Northern 2-1 and 19-3.

The Vikings and Huskies were deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the seventh inning of the first game.

Portage Northern scored three runs in the first and fourth innings of the second game to take an 8-3 advantage into the seventh. The Huskies then scored 11 runs to turn the game into a rout.

“We gave ourselves chances to win in game one, but our bats remain cold,” Niles coach Rick McKeel said. “We cannot seem to get the big hit when we need it. Hitting is our weakness and we need to get better quickly.”

In the first game, Addison Davies was 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings.

Brooke Timm and Morgan Altergott each had two hits and drove in a run in the nightcap.

 

PORTAGE NORTHERN 2-19, NILES 1-3

At Niles

First game

Northern                    010 000 1 – 2 7 4

Niles                           000 001 0 – 1 4 3

L. Verduzco (W); Brooke Timm (L).

HR: Beadle (PN).

 

Second game

Northern                    310 130 (11) – 19 17 2

Niles                           001 011 0 – 3 7 4

L. Huges (W); Hannah Albright, Brooke Timm (7, L).

2B: Blett (PN), Beadle (PN) 2, Grooten (PN), Huges (PN).