A two-run fifth inning in the opener of a doubleheader Wednesday helped the ninth-ranked (Division II) Niles baseball team rally past No. 10 (Division II) St. Joseph, 2-1, in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West Division action.

The Vikings were unable to record a sweep as a five-run sixth inning helped the Bears beat Niles, 8-3, in the second game.

In game one, Niles scored two runs on four hits in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Jordon Ham’s RBI single with two outs gave the Vikings the lead.

Winning pitcher Jake Huffman tossed a four-hitter, struck out two and walked two. He retired the final seven batters. Ham at second base and Alex Hardy at shortstop each had diving catches during the final three innings.

“I was happy with the way that we played in the first game,” said Niles baseball coach Mike Vota. “We played good defense and our pitcher threw strikes. We did just enough offensively. I thought we hit the ball pretty well in the first game.”

Game two was tied at 2 after one inning with Wyatt Thornton tying the game for Niles with his sacrifice fly.

Drew Huffman’s RBI single gave the Vikings a 3-2 lead in the second inning.

The rest of the game belonged to St. Joseph as the Bears scored a run in the fifth and five more in the sixth. Jake Mavis collected an RBI single and Brett Cohoon added an RBI double in the sixth for St. Joseph. Niles starting pitcher Drew Huffman struck out seven before being relieved with one out in the sixth.

“He had cramping going on in both calves,” Vota said about his starting pitcher. “It was the first hot day and he kind of ran out of gas a little bit at the end. He threw two many pitches early in the game. We knew early that we weren’t going to get a complete game out of him, but he did a good job.”

 

NILES 2-3, ST. JOSEPH 1-8
First Game

St. Joseph       000     100     0 – 1 4 1

Niles                000     020     x – 2 7 1

Daniel Abbgy (L) and Eric Engel; Jake Huffman (W, 2-1) and Jason Hoida

2B: Hunter Waning (S)

 

Second Game

St. Joseph       200     015      0 – 8 9 2

Niles                210     000      0 – 3 5 1

Jake Mavis (W), Brett Cohoon (7) and Eric Engel; Drew Huffman (L, 2-2), Chris Frantz (6), Bryce Lake (7) and Jason Hoida

2B: Engel (S), Cohoon (S), Lake (N), Alex Hardy (N).

Varsity records: St. Joseph 15-8 overall, 3-5 SMAC West; Niles 13-7, 5-3 SMAC West