Niles needed an addition inning to capture the championship of the Chieftain Invitational Saturday.

After knocking off defending champion Dowagiac 9-5 in the semifinals, the Vikings edged Watervliet 7-6 in the eight-inning title game.

Niles (4-2) opened the tournament with a 17-1 victory over Elkhart Memorial in a game that lasted just four innings.

The Vikings used a pair of four-run innings to defeat the Chieftains in the second round.

In the championship game, Niles scored a run in the top of the eighth to earn the title.

After the Panthers had deadlocked the score at 6-6 with a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings scored the game-winner using the International Tiebreaker.

Hannah Albright was sent to second base to start the inning and came around to score when Kelsey Barman’s bunt was mishandled by Watervliet’s third baseman.

Niles was unable to score any more runs in the inning.

Watervliet managed a two-out walk in the bottom of the eighth but could not score.

“Coming into this tournament, we said we would need timely hitting, good pitching and solid defense to win and that is what we got,” said Niles coach Rick McKeel. “The entire team was well focused all day. Last year we lost to both Dowagiac and Watervliet and this year we turned the table and beat both of these good teams which is a step in the right direction.

“Overall I thought we executed well at the plate with some clutch hitting and made plays in the field to get out of some jams. Our kids have been working hard and I’m happy for them to see some success come from their hard work. We still have more work to do and need to keep improving as a team.”

Dowagiac (8-1) went 2-1 as it defeated Kalamazoo Central in the opening game 11-2 and blanked Bridgman in the consolation game, 6-0.

“We face out first test of the season today against Niles and we flinched,” said Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke. “We gave up four runs in the second inning with only one ball leaving the infield. We rebounding well against Bridgman and have to work hard to get better. Now we have to get healthy to prepare for our conference schedule, which begins with South Haven Friday.”

 

CHIEFTAIN INVITATIONAL

At Dowagiac

First game

Central           001     01 – 2 6 5

Dowagiac      082     10 – 11 9 2

1. Seller (L), N. Gross (3); Kailey Fear (W).

2B: R. Wolf (KC), Megan Soderbloom (D), Amiyah Smith (D).

3B: Smith (D).

HR: Mekenna Gaideski (D).

 

Memorial      010     0 – 1 4 6

Niles               273     5 – 17 12 0

Ryan (L), Buss (3); Reese Davies (W).

2B: Taylor Gibson (N) 2, Kelsey Barkman (N), Aynslee Myer (N).

3B: Caitlin Daly (N).

HR: Brooke Timm (N).

 

Second game

Niles               044     100 – 9 8 2

Dowagiac      001     004 – 5 11 1

Brooke Timm (W); Megan Soderbloom (L), Kailey Fear (4).

2B: Taylor Hulett (D), Taylor Pye (D).

3B: Sadie Fountain (N).

HR: Reese Davies (N).

 

Third game

Dowagiac      200     121     0 – 6 9 1

Bridgman      000     000     0 – 0 3 5

Taylor Hulett (W); Ashley Crowder (L), Mia Rankin (3).

2B: Kailey Fear (D), Sydney Payne (B).

3B: Amiyah Smith (D).

Varsity record: Dowagiac 8-1.

 

Championship game

Niles               310     200     01 – 7 8 4

Watervliet     300     020     10 – 6 11 3

Brooke Timm (W); K. Liles, A. Rowe (L).

3B: Kesley Barkman (N).

HR: Cailty Daly (N), Rowe (W).

Varsity record: Niles 4-2.