By SCOTT NOVAK

scott.novak@leaderpub.com

SOUTH HAVEN — A three-run fifth inning helped host South Haven rally for a 4-2 win over Dowagiac in the Division 2 district semifinals Monday afternoon.

In the second semifinal, Lakeshore used a pair of home runs to edge Niles 3-2 to advance to the title game against the Rams.

Dowagiac vs. South Haven

Dowagiac led 1-0 with a runner at third and two outs when play resumed Monday afternoon.

The Chieftains quickly made it 2-0 when Shelby Whitaker singled home Greta Whitaker, who had driven in the first run on Saturday before play was suspended.

The game would stay that way until the fifth inning, despite the host Rams having runners on base every inning, including the fourth when they loaded them with no outs.

Dowagiac worked its way out of the jam, but could not do so in the fifth when South Haven scored three runs take the lead.

“We were playing with fire and in the fifth inning we got burned,” said Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke. “They had a lot of baserunners, but were able to get them out without scoring. But eventually we got burned and they scored three runs.”

Dowagiac got the offense going in the first couple of innings, but was never able to string together enough hits over the final five innings to keep putting runs on the board.

“Their pitcher settled down and made some better pitches,” Behnke said. “But we had some opportunities earlier. I told the girls, if we do not make the routine plays, it is going to be tough to win any games. And we did not make the routine plays today.”

Dowagiac finished with eight hits.

Taylor Pye was 2-for-3 to lead the Chieftains.

Sierra Carpenter suffered the loss despite giving up just two earned runs on eight hits.

Niles vs. Lakeshore

Two pitches basically ended the Niles softball season.

Lakeshore hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and then added a two-run shot in the top of the seventh to edge the Vikings 3-2.

Niles coach Dale Myer took the blame for the pitch he called that resulted in the game-winning home run.