Erika Donathen played a big role in Buchanan’s sweep of visiting Niles in non-conference softball Wednesday afternoon.

Donathen hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth as the Bucks rallied to beat the Vikings 7-6.

She then tossed a three-hitter in the nightcap as Buchanan completed the sweep with an 8-1 victory.

The sweep squared the Bucks’ overall record at 2-2.

“We did not come out ready to play,” said Niles coach Rick McKeel. “We lacked the focus and intensity tonight. It resulted in lots of mental errors, which we need to correct. We hit the ball well in game one and scored enough runs (six) for us to win, but we gave them too many extra outs and against a well-coached team like Buchanan, you just can’t do that.”

Buchanan rallied from a 5-4 deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth and then scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the victory.

With two outs, Sammi Luzadre drew a walk to keep the inning alive and bring Donathen to the plate.

She hammered a Brooke Timm offering over the left-center field fence to give the Bucks a 7-5 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Niles scored a run as Timm singled home Kelsey Barkman, who had reached base on an error.

Luzadre picked up the victory for Buchanan as she allowed 1 earned run on six hits with five strikeouts.

Timm allowed three runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts.

Morgan Lenox had two hits for the Bucks, who also got a doubles from Kaitlyn Lukkarila and a triple from Brooklyn Krumrie.

Caitlin Daly and Sadie Fountain each had a pair of hits for the Vikings.

In the nightcap, Buchanan used a four-run fourth inning to break open a close contest.

Donathen tossed a three-hitter with five strikeouts for the Bucks.

Donathen, Lenox and Taylor Reed all had two hits for Buchanan.

Timm took the loss as she allowed five earned runs on seven this with four strikeouts.

Addison Davies, Aynslee Myer and Daly all singled for the Vikings.

 

BUCHANAN 7-8, NILES 6-1

At Buchanan

Niles               040      100      1 – 6 6 2

Buchanan      210      202      x – 7 10 3

Brooke Timm (L); Sammi Luzadre (W).

2B: Kaitlyn Lukkarila (BU).

3B: Brooklyn Krumrie (BU).

HR: Erika Donathen (BU).

Second Game

Niles               000      001      0 – 1 3 4

Buchanan      101      402      x – 8 7 2

Brooke Timm (L); Erika Donathen (W).

2B: Taylor Reed (B).

HR: Kaitlyn Lukkarila (B).

Varsity records: Niles x-x, Buchanan 2-2.