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EDWARDSBURG – Despite having one of the younger rosters, Edwardsburg second-year softball coach Todd Tighe expects his team to be in the Wolverine Conference title conversation this Spring. 

Edwardsburg showed they are capable of holding their own Tuesday by earning a home doubleheader split with league favorite Otsego, winning the opener 4-1 before dropping the nightcap 9-3.

Tighe was impressed with the Lady Eddies’ performance in the first game against Otsego’s senior pitching ace and Western Michigan University signee Audrey Lingbeck.

Edwardsburg, now 5-1 in the league and 7-3 overall, grabbed a quick 2-0 lead over Otsego after one inning. 

Sophomore third baseman Ella Zache reached first on a throwing error and went to second on the overthrow, stole third before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by teammate Kourtney Zarycki. Lani Hardin scored the Eddies’ second run when she raced home on Mia Castelluchi’s fielder’s choice.

Zarycki tripled with two outs in the third and scored after she stole home to increase Edwardsburg’s lead to 3-0.

Otsego put its lone marker up on the board in the fourth. Lingbeck doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice and throwing error at second base to reduce the Bulldogs’ deficit to 3-1.

Edwardsburg added its final run in the sixth. Zarycki singled, stole second and scored on Hardin’s groundout boosting the Eddies’ lead to  4-1.  

“For us to get some big hits in that first game against Otsego’s No. 1 pitcher was big. Kourtney is a returning first-team all-conference player for us and she’s going to Glen Oaks Community College to play. She’s been a big-time hitter in crucial moments for us so far this season,” said Tighe, whose daughter Caitlin, a former Eddies’ standout, is now the starting shortstop at Western Michigan.

“It was a cold and windy night so we had to manufacture alot of runs early. We did a lot of bunting and delayed stealing which got us some early runs. Unfortunately we got down early in that second game and couldn’t really play that type of game. We have lots of speed and high IQ players and it worked out for us in the first game today.”

Tori Pulling chalked up the win for Edwardsburg inside the circle. Pulling tossed a complete game, allowing just three hits and four walks while posting 11 strikeouts.

“Tori was lights out on the mound in that first game for us. Not many people know much about her now but they will be the end of the year. We have one of the better pitching staffs in the conference this season and she’s a big part of it,” Tighe said.

Zarycki collected a single and triple and Hardin and Castelluchi added singles for Edwardsburg’s hits in the opener.

Lingbeck went the distance and was charged with the loss allowing four hits with 10 strikeouts for Otsego. 

Otsego broke a scorless tie in the nightcap by scoring five runs in the third. Lingbeck scored on a passed ball, Addy Lucas and Alycia Farrell both had two-run singles to highlight the Bulldogs’ half of the frame.

Zarycki’s two-run homerun over the centerfield fence in the sixth also plated Zache and sliced Edwardsburg’s deficit to three runs, 5-2.

Otsego, however, added four runs in the seventh. The Bulldogs’ Cassie Holland, Maddi Dendel and Lingbeck all singled to load the bases. Holland scored on Lucas’ RBI single, Sydnee Mosher laced a two-run single to score Dendel and Lingbeck while Farrell’s RBI single plated Lucas.

Edwardsburg got its final run in the bottom of the seventh. Brynn Young walked, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Julia Seifer’s fielder’s choice. 

Kenidie Flanery started for Edwardsburg and suffered the loss allowing five runs, five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Flanery was relieved by Seifer with one out in the third. Seifer finished up, yielding four runs, seven hits, no walks with five strikeouts. 

“Kenidie held them in check a couple of innings before getting behind on some of her counts. Julia came in and really shut them down by moving the ball around,” Tighe said.

Holland started and recorded the win for Otsego giving up four hits, two runs with two walks and six strikeouts. Lingbeck finished up, allowing one run, one walk and one strikeout.

Zarycki singled and homered for the Lady Eddies, while Seifer added a single and Zache doubled. 

“We are a fairly young team this season. We start four sophomores and three juniors in our lineup,” Tighe said.

The Eddies’ sophomores include Zache, Kendal Hulett, Young and Gracie Reid, while the juniors are Pulling and Makayla Heflin, another pitcher, who is currently out with an injury.

“It’s just the beginning of the season and I expect this team to grow throughout the year. We came together as team and listed our goals once we started practice. Our first goal is to have fun, but this group wants to be the first team from Edwardsburg to win a regional championship along with league and districts as well,” Tighe said. “We just need to grow, remain focused and learn what we are trying to do from a base-running perspective.”

Edwardsburg will also rely heavily on its four seniors that include Zarycki, Castelluchi, Hardin, the team’s starting catcher, and Seifer. 

Hardin is hitting close to .700 while Kendal, the Lady Eddies’ starting centerfielder, is batting over .650 with four home runs.

“Lani is a four-year starter with a strong arm who will play at Lake Michigan College,” Tighe said.

Edwardsburg completes a busy week with a game at Elkhart, Ind. Concord on Thursday, doubleheader at Berrien Springs on Friday and travel to Lake Central, Ind. for a Saturday tournament.