DOWAGIAC — The Dowagiac Chieftains snapped a nine-game losing streak by defeating visiting Plainwell 9-4 in the second game of their Wolverine Conference doubleheader Thursday.

The Trojans took the opening game 12-6 by using a pair of five-run innings.

Plainwell outhit the Chieftains 15-13 in the contest, while both teams committed four errors.

The Trojans collected five doubles and a home run in the contest.

“We finally turned it around and played a pretty solid second game,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “Our defense was better, and we got the timely hits when we needed it, and Amiyah threw well in relief. We are doing the right things to get better at practice and starting to be more aggressive on defense doing games. We just aren’t doing them consistently enough to win the close games.”

Amiyah Smith, Mekenna Gaideski and Mona Aranda all had three hits for the Chieftains. Smith doubled, while Aranda drove in a pair of runs.

Smith suffered the loss for the Chieftains.

In the nightcap, Dowagiac and Plainwell were deadlocked at 3-3 through three innings.

After the Trojans scored a run in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead, the Chieftains exploded for four runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to pull out the victory.

Dowagiac finished with nine hits, led by Smith’s 4-for-4 performance with a double, home run and four RBIs.

Gaideski added two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Smith earn the victory in relief.

 

Buchanan softball

STEVENSVILLE — The Bucks went 1-2 at the Lakeshore Tournament on Saturday.

Buchanan (13-7) lost to Portage Central 3-1 and lost to Byron Center 12-1 before defeating Watervliet 12-0.

Against the Panthers, Buchanan finished with 21 hits, including a double and a triple by Morgan Lenox.

Also picking up doubles were Megan Adkerson, Brooklyn Krumrie, Jayla Bibbs and Ericka Donathen.

Chloe Spitz was the winning pitcher.

 

Brandywine softball

PARCHMENT — Visiting Brandywine dropped a pair of BCS Athletic Conference games to the Panthers Thursday.

Parchment defeated the Bobcats 13-3 and 20-0.

In the opener, Kennedy Byrd homered, while Nicole Sachman had a pair of singles.

Delani Nelson suffered the loss.

In the nightcap, Byrd had a double for one of the two Brandywine hits against the Panthers.

Byrd was also the losing pitcher.