The Niles baseball team continues to struggle putting back-to-back games together.

It happened again Tuesday night against Kalamazoo Central.

After blowing out the Maroon Giants 8-0 in the first game of their Big 16 Conference West Division baseball doubleheader, the Vikings fell in the nightcap, 4-2.

Niles used a five-run third inning to break open the first game.

Tate Brawley was hot from the plate for the Vikings. Brawley went 2-for-3 and drove in one. He singled in the second inning and doubled in the third inning.

Mitchell Dehn got the win for Niles thanks to 10 strikeouts. Dehn pitched six innings of shutout ball and allowed only two hits.

Besides Brawley, the Vikings also got doubles from Matthew McLaughlin, Connor Glick and Taylor Parish.

Niles lost the nightcap despite Taylor Campbell’s day, both the mound and the plate.

Campbell had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits. He doubled in the fourth and sixth innings.

Campbell handled Kalamazoo Central’s lineup with ease, racking up 10 strikeouts. He allowed four earned runs, six hits and three walks over seven innings.

Stefan Vandermolen got the win for Kalamazoo Central. He allowed two runs over seven innings. Vandermolen struck out 10, walked none and gave up three hits.

The bottom of the second saw the Vikings take an early lead, 1-0. A single by Brawley bringing home Chris Mangus started the inning off.

The game’s last lead went to Kalamazoo Central thanks to a fourth inning rally that saw three runs cross the plate on a three-run home run by Vandermolen.

First game

Central 000 000 0 – 0 2 1

Niles 005 030 x 8 6 0

Mitchell Dehn (W), Tyler Clutter (7); Robbie Scheck (L)

2B: J Edwards (KC), Matthew McLaughlin (N), Connor Glick (N), Tyler Parish (N), Tate Brawley (N)

Second game

Central 000 300 1 – 4 6 2

Niles 010 100 0 – 2 3 1

Austin Kannegieter (W); Taylor Campbell (L)

2B: Kannegieter (KC), Campbell (N) 2

HR: Stefan Vandermolen (KC)