By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac junior varsity basetball team split a pair of games with host Coloma in its season opener on Monday.
The Comets won the first game 6-3, while Dowagiac took the nightcap, 11-3. Both games were five inning contests.
Tony Saviano was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles to lead the Chieftains offensively in the first game. DJ Edgerly and Chris Primley also had hits for Dowagiac.
Edgerly worked the first three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with a strike out and a walk. Reggie Fritz pitched an inning, recording three outs on three pitches.
Dowagiac stranded 12 runners in the opening game and struck out six times.
In the second game the Chieftains scored early and often.
Dowagiac scored three times in the first, six times in the second and twice in the third to account for its runs.
Coloma tallied two runs in the second and one in the third.
Kyle Prak was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Chieftains, who also got a 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs from Primley.
Ryan and Mike Laylin each doubled for the Chieftains. Keith Prak, Edgerly, Troy Stover and Matt Gross all had hits. Edgerly also drove in two runs.
Jason Fryman went the distance to pick up the victory. Fryman gave up three hits with six strike outs and a walk.
Dowagiac (1-1) will return to action on Thursday when it hosts Battle Creek Harper Creek at Russom Field. The first game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.