SOUTH HAVEN — A leadoff home run by Lakeshore’s Cam Dalrymple had the Edwardsburg baseball team chasing the two-time defending state champions in the Division 2 title game at South Haven Monday evening.

The Lancers (20-16) would go on to score two more runs on their way to a 5-3 win over the Eddies to advance to Wednesday’s pre-regional game in Coldwater.

Edwardsburg coach A.J. Gaideski knew his team had its work cut out against Lakeshore and did not want to get behind early.

“They are a heckuva team,” Gaideski said. “They aren’t back-to-back champions for nothing. Their pitcher (Matt DeFay) did a great job today and commanded his fastball and did a good job mixing it up. We had a rough first inning. They did a nice job moving runners around in that first inning.”

The Eddies would give up another run in the top of the third, but rallied to score three times in the bottom of the inning to cut the Lancers’ lead to 4-3.

Caden Goggins’ three-run shot breathed life back into Edwardsburg.

The Eddies were unable to make any further headway into the Lancers’ lead, however.

Lakeshore would add an insurance run in the sixth inning and then turn it over to DeFay, who scattered nine hits and struck out eight and walked two.

Edwardsburg starter Jonah Sibley settled down after the first inning and worked into the sixth before giving way to reliever Mac Gaideski.

Sibley allowed four earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Gaideski allowed just one hit in an inning and a third of relief.

“Sibley’s had a great year,” Gaideski said. “He had just one of those innings that happen in baseball, especially against a good team and they took advantage of him being off.”

Despite the loss, Gaideski and the Eddies had another outstanding season.

Edwardsburg won its fifth consecutive Wolverine Conference championship and sixth in the last seven years. The Eddies finished 27-7 on the season.

“They’ve won championships and done a great job doing what you ask,” Gaideski said. “You have Jonah Sibley, Travis Straughn and Caden Goggins — you can’t ask for better kids than we have.”

Edwardsburg advanced to the championship game with a 20-0 win over Benton Harbor in the semifinals. Lakeshore moved into the title game with a 10-0 win over Niles.

The district tournament was moved to Monday afternoon after thunderstorms postponed the tournament last Saturday.

Division 2 softball

Lakeshore captured yet another Division 2 district championship as it edged host South Haven 3-1 in the title game Monday evening.

The Lancers (29-10) scored single runs in the first, third and fifth innings to account for its scoring.

The Rams scored their lone run in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1.

Lakeshore finished with seven hits in the contest, including two by Megan Younger, daughter of former Dowagiac standouts Greg and Jeanna Younger.

She also drove in a run, as did Shelby Grau, who had a single. She is the daughter of former Dowagiac standout Melissa Grau.

Laney Mead worked the first three innings and earned the victory for Lakeshore, which will compete in the Division 2 regional at Edwardsburg on Saturday.

Mead and Isabella Najera, who came on in the fourth inning, combined on a three-hitter.