Despite splitting a non-league doubleheader, visiting Cassopolis and Dowagiac baseball coaches Matt Brawley and Bob Turner felt good about their teams’ effort Saturday.

The Rangers won the first game 4-2 as they took advantage of six Dowagiac errors.

The Chieftains rebounded to win the nightcap 3-2 as they used some timely hitting and a trio of Cassopolis miscues to come up with the split.

Both teams got solid pitching performances from their starters, who each went the distance.

Kevin Hatcher scattered five hits to take the opener for the Rangers, while Nate Lindsey pitched equally well in suffering the setback.

In the second game, Brody Froehlich tossed a three-hitter to earn the win for the Chieftains. Nate Blad allowed just five hits in taking the loss for Cass.

“Both guys pitched great,” Turner said. “If Nate would have had the help that Brody did, we might have gotten out of here with two. I think other than Cal (Cox), that’s the first time anyone has gone more than four (innings). I am as happy as I can be with our pitching.”

“We are starting to play much better baseball,” Brawley said. “We are starting to play clean defensively and the pitchers are throwing strikes. Their pitcher did a nice job keeping the ball low and away and we couldn’t come up with a timely hit.”

In the first game, Taylor Baker had a double for Cassopolis, which scored the winning run in the fourth inning on an error. Tyler Butrick reached base on an error and eventually came around to score to give the Rangers a 3-2 advantage.

Dowagiac scored single runs in the first, second and fifth innings of the second contest.

Tony Brooks had three hits for the Chieftains, who are now 5-15-1 on the season.

First game

Cassopolis 020 101 0 – 4 7 2

Dowagiac 110 000 0 – 2 5 6

Kevin Hatch (W) and Jeremiah Hertsell; Nate Lindsey (L) and Brett Scanlon

2B: Taylor Baker (C), Logan Pellow (D), Scanlon (D)

Second game

Cassopolis 000 000 0 – 0 3 3

Dowagiac 110 010 x – 3 5 2

Brody Froehlich (W) and Brett Scanlon; Nate Blad (L) and Jeremiah Hertsell

Records

Cassopolis 7-11-1; Dowagiac 5-15-1