By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
An unearned run in the third inning was good enough to lead Kalamazoo Christian to the championship of the Chieftain Invitational on Saturday.
The Lady Comets edged Dowagiac 1-0 in the title game of the annual event.
Dowagiac reached the finals with a 2-0 victory over Elkhart (Ind.) Memorial in the first round and a 1-0 victory over No. 1 ranked (3A) Andrean (Merriville, Ind.).
Andrean was the defending champion of the tournament and the victory was the first by Dowagiac over the squad.
Kalamazo Christian reached the finals with a 3-0 win over Mishawaka Marian and a 3-0 victory over Grandville.
Kalamazoo Christian's Kelsey Stapert reached base on a bunt single in the top of the third and then stole second and third. A throwing error as Stapert tried to steal third got into left field allowing her to score the game's only run.
Leah VanEnk picked up the victory for the Lady Comets as she worked the final four innings.
Dowagiac managed just one hit in the contest.
Brittney Reist took the loss despite allowing just two hits. Reist, now 3-1 on the year, struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
In the semifinals Dowagiac defeated Andrean 1-0 as Brittany Bruens scored in the bottom of the eight inning after reaching on a single and coming around to score on back-to-back errors by Andrean.
Ashley Willis tossed a four-hitter with seven strike outs and two walks to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Dowagiac finished with just the one hit off of losing pitcher Katie Ivancich.
In its opening game against Memorial, Reist tossed a one-hitter with six strike outs and a walk.
Dowagiac banged out nine hits off of pitcher Katy Teeter.
Mandy Parish had a single, a double and an RBI. Reist and Beth Tomzcak each had two hits, while Amy Wood added a single and an RBI.
Dowagiac, now 6-1 on the season, returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Kalamazoo to face Loy Norrix in a doubleheader slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Dowagiac 100 000 1 - 2 9 x
Elkhart Memorial 000 000 0 - 0 1 x
Brittney Reist (W, 3-0), Katy Teeter (L)
2B: Mandy Parish (D)
Portage Northern 000 000 0 - 0 3 x
Andrean 000 506 x - 11 16 x
Lori Knoph (W), Emily Bosch (L)
2B: Bekki Rosenow (A), Lauren Miller (PN), Amanda Klosterman (PN)
Mishawaka Marian 000 000 0 - 0 3 x
Kalamazoo Christian 002 000 1 - 3 6 x
Heather Mulder (W), Sami DeFord (L)
2B: Michelle Webb (KC)
Grandville 375 - 15 13 x
Hartford 000 - 0 2 x
Tammy Filkins (W), Krystin Weberg (L)
2B: Ashley Syswerda (G), Kristin Jelsma (G)
3B: Nicole Bigelow (G). Syswerda (G)
Dowagiac 000 000 01 - 1 1 x
Andrean 000 000 00 - 0 4 x
Ashley Willis (W, 2-0), Katie Ivancich (L)
Kalamazoo Christian 101 010 0 - 3 7 x
Grandville 000 000 0 - 0 3 x
Leah VanEnk (W), Kristin Jelsma (L)
Elkhart Memorial 010 010 1 - 3 x x
Portage Northern 001 100 0 - 2 x x
Danielle Beyer (W), Rachel Drafta (L)
2B: Shannon Smith (PN)
Mishawaka Marian 307 2 - 12 10 x
Hartford 000 0 - 0 0 x
Kelly Murray (W), Krystin Weberg (L)
3B: Shannon Egan (M)
HR: Leia Charmat (M)
Elkhart Memorial 0
Mishawaka Marian 3
No further results were provided
Portage Northern 100 100 1 - 3 x x
Hartford 203 200 0 - 7 2 x
Krystin Webert (W), Rachel Drafta (L)
HR: Stephanie Lorenz (PN)
Andrean 100 002 0 - 3 8 x
Grandville 000 000 0 - 0 2 x
Lori Knopf (W), Katie Travis (L)
3B: Knopf (A)
Kalamazoo Christian 001 000 0 - 1 2 x
Dowagiac 000 000 0 - 0 1 x
Leah VanEnk (W), Brittney Reist (L, 3-1)