Three was a key number for the Edwardsburg softball team in the Division 2 district tournament at Niles Saturday.

The Eddies won their third consecutive district title by defeating Wolverine Conference foe Dowagiac for the third straight time this season 2-1 in the championship game.

The day started off with No. 3 Allie Strycker tossed a shutout in the semifinals as the Eddies defeated Wolverine Conference foe Paw Paw for the third time this season.

Dowagiac reached the championship game by holding off a late Niles rally to win 5-4.

In the championship game, Dowagiac’s Amiyah Smith lined a leadoff home run off the glove of Edwardsburg centerfielder Lexi Clark.

Edwardsburg coach Randy Brooks argued that Clark caught the ball first, and that in the process of running into the outfield fence after the catch the ball popped out.

The umpires did not see it that way and Dowagiac led 1-0 after the top half of the first.

The Eddies (33-7) did not waste any time getting that run back. In the bottom half of the first, Stryker doubled down the leftfield line, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Shoupe and scored on a ground out by Savannah Dixon.

Edwardsburg would score what turned out to be the winning run in the fourth inning as Layne Stinnett, who led off with a double and two outs, later scored on a single by Courtney Ryker.

From there, Ashley Pion kept the Chieftains at bay as she scattered six hits and struck out 10, while walking just one.

“We knew going into this season that we had high expectations because we had a lot of experience,” said Edwardsburg coach Randy Brooks. “This was not a surprise. We were pretty confident. We didn’t talk about playing at home for the regional before today. We just took care of business here.”

Dowagiac’s Taylor Hulett was equally as masterful as she allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

Against Paw Paw, the Eddies banged out 11 hits while Strycker dominated the Redskins in the circle.

The senior, who has been on all three of the Edwardsburg district championship teams, combined with Pion on a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts.

Offensively for the Eddies in the semifinals, Shoupe was 3-for-4, while Hannah Mitchell was 3-for-3. Michaela Ritschard tripled and drove in a pair of runs for Edwardsburg. Stinnett also drove in two runs.

Against Niles, Dowagiac’s Hulett allowed two earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts.

The Chieftains led 2-0 heading into the fifth inning when Niles picked up a pair of unearned runs to tie the game.

Dowagiac (23-15) responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead.

The Vikings scored two runs in the sixth inning to make it 5-4 before the Chieftains were able to shut them down and hold on for the victory.

The final out of the game came when Dowagiac catcher Megan Soderbloom threw out Niles’ Sadie Fountain trying to steal second.

Niles’ Brooke Timm homered and doubled against the Chieftains.

Hulett and Kailey Fear, both of whom finished with two hits, led Dowagiac offensively. Taylor Pye added a double.

“We did what we had to do against Niles,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “Taylor pitched a great game and we didn’t make plays behind her, but we responded when they got two runs with three of our own and hung on for the victory.

Against the Eddies, we played one of our best games of the year. Kailey pitched awesome and we made almost every play we had to. Their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off balance and we just couldn’t string any hits together. I was proud of the way the team played and how we came together as a team.”

Edwardsburg will now host one of the most competitive regionals in the state of Michigan Saturday.

The Eddies will face Olivet at 10 a.m., while No. 6 Lakeshore will take on No. 4 ranked Vicksburg in the second semifinal at approximately noon.

The Bulldogs are the defending state runners-up.

 

DIVISION 2 SOFTBALL

At Niles

Championship game

Dowagiac                  100     000     0 – 1 6 0

Edwardsburg                       100     100     x – 2 5 0

Kailey Fear (L); Ashley Pion (W, 18-3)

2B: Shelby Jackson (D), Allie Strycker (E), Layne Stinnett (E)

HR: Amiyah Smith (D)

Varsity records: Dowagiac 23-15, Edwardsburg 33-7.

 

Semifinals

Paw Paw                    000     000     0 – 0 5 0

Edwardsburg                       002     004     x – 6 11 1

Brooke Vantilburg (L); Allie Strycker (W, 14-4), Ashley Pion (6)

3B: Michaela Ritschard (E)

 

Niles               000     022     0 – 4 7 1

Dowagiac      010     130     x – 5 7 2

Brooke Timm (L); Taylor Hulett (W)

2B: Brooke Timm (N), Taylor Pye (D)

HR: Brooke Timm (N)

Varsity record: Niles 14-22.