Edwardsburg had to hold off a last inning rally by Niles to win its second straight Division 2 district championship at Dowagiac Saturday.

The Eddies (32-5) defeated the host Chieftains 8-1 in the semifinals and then withstood a seventh-inning comeback by the Vikings to claim the championship 4-3.

Edwardsburg now advances to the Division 2 regional in Stevensville hosted by Lakeshore.

The Eddies will face Coldwater at noon Saturday. St. Joseph will take on Wolverine Conference champion Vicksburg in the opening game at 10 a.m.

After Niles (12-27) scored a run in the top of the first, Edwardsburg erupted for three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Ali Strycker singled to lead-off the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. Savannah Dixon drew a walk before Layne Stinnett singled to left to score Strycker with the tying run.

A single by Michaela Ritschard made it 2-1 before Lexi Clark singled to drive in the final run of the inning.

The score remained 3-1 until the Eddies added a run in the fifth to make it 4-2.

Niles responded with a run in the sixth and another in the seventh before Strycker as finally able to shut down the Vikings’ rally and preserve the victory.

Strycker went the distance, allowing one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts.

The Eddies had eight hits, including three by Strycker and two by Clark.

“We knew we had to play well to win it,” Edwardsburg coach Randy Brooks said. “I’m proud of our girls they are a hard working dedicated group of athletes. We were a bit short handed with Kailee Claire out for the season with a stress fracture and Ali (Strycker) didn’t practice the previous two days with a viral infection. I thought Ali pitched extremely well especially the first five innings against Dowagiac.  She battled through the rest of the day relying on her defense.

“The two-run homer by (Layne) Stinnett in the first game was a huge lift for us. It was her 12th this year breaking her own school record. In game two versus Niles, the pickoff play at second base in the first inning was huge for us.”

Brooke Timm also went the distance and took the loss for the Vikings.

Niles had six hits in the championship game, led by Addison Davies, who was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Sadie Fountain also had two hits.

“I was very proud of the way our girls played today,” Niles coach Rick McKeel said. “I don’t think many people gave us a chance, but our girls believed and played well  We just came up a little short. I told our girls they should hold their heads high, they competed well, we finished the season playing much better than our record indicates.”

Niles reached the championship game with a 2-1 win over Paw Paw in the opening semifinal.

Timm went the distance, allowing one run on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Michelle Crouch doubled and drove in a run, while Caitlin Daly singled and drove in a run.

 

DIVISION 2 DISTRICT SOFTBALL

At Dowagiac

First game

Paw Paw         000 100 0 – 1 6 0

Niles                 010 001 x – 2 3 0

Kiarra Herson (L); Brooke Timm (W).

2B: Michelle Crouch (N), Caitlin Daly (N).

 

Second game

Dowagiac           000 000 1 – 1 3 1

Edwardsburg   002 024 x – 8 8 0

Taylor Hulett (L); Ali Strycker (W).

HR: Layne Stinnett (E).

Varsity record: Dowagiac 29-10.

 

Championship game

Niles                    100 001 1 – 3 6 1

Edwardsburg   300 010 x – 4 8 2

Brooke Timm (L); Ali Strycker (W).

Varsity records: Niles 12-27, Edwardsburg 32-5.