By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
BERRIEN SPRINGS – It was exactly what the Brandywine varsity baseball team needed in order to stay alive in the Lakeland Conference.
On Tuesday evening, the Bobcats traveled to Berrien Springs for a doubleheader with the No. 1 ranked Shamrocks.
Brandywine fell in a heartbreaker loss in the first game, 4-3 and stayed strong in the second game to claim a 3-0 victory.
The Bobcats carried the advantage most of the first game, leading 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Berrien Springs brought two much needed runs across the plate to tie the game at two heading into the final inning.
It looked pretty promising for Brandywine as Shane Bankston hit a home run to put th Bobcats up 3-2. However, the Shamrocks answered back in the bottom of the inning as Darius Whitehead nailed a two-run double to the outfield, allowing Berrien to claim the victory.
Chris Hass took the win on the mound for the Shamrocks, bringing his record to 4-0. Dan Reidenbach (3-2) suffered the loss.
The Bobcats didn't let the loss get them down in the nightcap.
Junior Jake Harris put on a show at the mound, striking out eight batters and allowing just three hits and four walks. At the plate, Harris blazed a home run to the outfield, helping the Bobcats stay fired up for the win.
Freshman Kyle King added a double at the plate for the Bobcats.
Hass doubled for the Shamrocks, while Kolby Wood (3-1) suffered the loss at the mound.
The Bobcats are now 11-5 overall, 6-2 in the conference. Berrien sits at 14-3, 7-1 in conference.
Game one
At Berrien Springs
Brandywine 002 001 0 – 3 5 3
Berrien Springs 000 020 2 – 4 4 2
WP – Chris Hass (4-0) and Darius Whitehead
LP – Dan Reidenbach (3-2) and Cam Ondresky
2B: Darius Whitehead (B)
HR: Shane Bankston (BR)
Second game
Brandywine 001 101 0-3 3 0
Berrien Springs 000 000 0
– 0 3 0
WP – Jake Harris (5-1) and Cam Ondresky
Lp – Kolby Wood (3-1) and Darius Whitehead
2B: Kyle King (BR), Chris Hass (B)
HR: Jake Harris (BR).
Records: Berrien Springs 14-3 (7-1 Lakeland Conference), Brandywine 11-5 (6-2 Lakeland Conference).