By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Brandywine softball team traveled to the Portage Central Invitation on Saturday and faced some tough competition.
The Bobcats won their opening game against Portage Northern 1-0, but fell to Portage Central 2-1 and Kalamazoo Christian 4-3.
In the first game, Kelli Zache picked up her eighth win of the season in the circle, throwing 10 strike outs and giving up only three hits. Rachel Drata suffered the loss for the Huskies.
The Bobcats scored their one and only run in the top of the fifth inning.
Brooke Coshow was the lone top hitter for Brandywine with two singles.
In the second game, Brandywine had a 1-0 lead to open the game and held onto it for most of the contest. However, a home run from Diana Hoopes in the bottom of the seventh inning won the game for the Mustangs.
Hoopes was the winning pitcher for Portage Central, while Kendra Zache suffered her first loss of the season. Zache threw eight strikouts to Hoopes' three.
Zache was also the top hitter for Brandywine in the second game with a triple, one RBI and one single.
In the final game of the day against Kalamazoo Christian, the Bobcats again held onto a slight lead for most of the contest, only to fall in the final innings.
Brandywine scored two runs in the first and one in the fifth to hold a 3-0 lead.
Kalamazoo Christian tied the game when it scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and one in the bottom of the seventh.
Leah VanEnk was the winning pitcher, while Kelli Zache suffered the loss. VanEnk threw just two strike outs and allowed three walks, while Zache threw 14 strikeouts.
At bat, Zache had a single, double and one RBI, while VanEnk had two singles.
Brandywine, now 10-5 overall, will host the Buchanan Bucks on Tuesday for a pair of Lakeland Conference games. The first one is set to begin at 4 p.m.