Dowagiac sweeps Bobcats

Published 12:13 pm Saturday, May 4, 2024

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NILES — Visiting Dowagiac swept a Lakeland Conference softball doubleheader from Brandywine Tuesday.

The Chieftains took the opening game 6-4 and then held off a rally in the nightcap to win 11-10.

In the opener, Dowagiac used a five-run third inning to erase a 2-0 Bobcat advantage.

The Chieftains finished with eight hits, including doubles by Marlie Carpenter and winning pitcher Rebecca Guernsey and Claire Hess. Olivia McIntosh tripled for Dowagiac.

The Bobcats finished with seven hits. Sophia Krisher had a pair of doubles from Brandywine.

Adelyn Drotoz suffered the loss.

“We grinded out some quality at bats and got some timely hits tonight against Brandywine,” said Dowagiac Coach Mike Behnke. “Liv McIntosh was great tonight on both sides of the ball. She started our big five-run inning in the first game with a triple and drove in the go ahead run in the seventh of the second game after we let Brandywine back in it. She also threw out a runner at home by 10 feet who was trying to tag and score.”

In the nightcap, Dowagiac scored three times in the seventh to take an 11-8 leader over Brandywine and then held off a seventh-inning rally by the Bobcats.

Brandywine outhit Dowagiac 17-11.

Aubrey Busby, Emily Henry, Carpenter, McIntosh and Guernsey all doubled.

Drotoz had a double and Kadence Brumitt tripled and homered for the Bobcats.

“We have to play much better defense and not give teams extra outs so we don’t make games interesting and let teams back into games,” Behnke said. “All-in-all, I’ll take two wins anytime.”