Baseball Sweeps (RV) Oklahoma City; Forrest Takes Strikeout Record

Baseball returned to the diamond on Sunday with a trip to Oklahoma City to take on the Stars. The match-up with Oklahoma City, receiving votes in the NAIA, was a rematch from the NAIA Opening Round in 2023. The Tigers won the opener, 7-0, and took the second game, 13-4.

Game One
Highlighting the first game was the pitching performance of Aaron Forrest (2-0). The Tiger senior threw 6.0 innings and struck out 11 batters to break the career strikeout record at Doane. He passed Elliott Engle's mark of 238 with his final strikeout in the sixth inning. He scattered four hits and a walk over his six innings.

Doane jumped out early with three runs in the first inning. Logan Amick reached to start the game and came in to score on an RBI-single by Joe Osborn. Narumi Okayasu hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Osborn and Justin Nevells doubled to drive in Aaron Vulcano.

In the second inning, Doane added two runs for a 5-0 lead. Osborn singled to bring Brayden Jones to the plate. Nate Mensik reached on a fielder's choice as Max Harris scored.

Jones singled in the third inning to drive in Nevells with Okayasu doubling to plate Osborn in the fourth inning for the final runs of the game.

Zach Schuchardt threw the final inning of the game for the Tigers, striking out one of the three batters he faced.

Doane was limited to five hits, however, all five hits plated runs for the Tigers. Aiding the Tigers' offensive output were the 10 walks the team drew. Osborn finished with two hits, two runs scored, and two runs driven in.

Game Two
The Tigers once again jumped to a big lead by taking advantage of opportunities and then added some pop with the long ball late in the game to seal the victory.

Doane scored five runs in the second inning, with the first run coming on a rare scoring play. A passed ball allowed Okayasu to move up to third base and Vulcano to second base. The catcher made a wild throw to third in an attempt to get the lead runner, allowing Okayasu to score and as the left field threw wild to home plate, Vulcano moved to third base. Vulcano would score on a passed ball for the second run.

The Tigers followed with an RBI-single by Ben Grigsby and one from Amick. Osborn capped the scoring with an RBI-double. Oklahoma City was able to get on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.

Osborn singled in the fourth inning to plate Harris. Jones singled in the fifth to score LaChance and Amick added an RBI-double to give the Tigers an 8-1 lead. OCU hit their second home run of the game and added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to cut into the Doane lead.

Doane was able to get the two runs back on a pinch-hit two-run home run from Dane Kelsey. The Stars added an RBI-double in the bottom of the inning, leaving the Tigers in front 10-4.

The final runs of the game scored in the seventh inning as Nevells hit a three-run home run, his second long ball of the season.

For the game, the Tigers out-hit the Stars, 15-9. Four players had two hits apiece for Doane. Amick had two hits and two RBIs. Osborn had two hits, a run scored, and two RBIs. Jones had two hits with a run scored and one driven in. Grigsby was 2-for-2 with an RBI with Harris scoring three runs as a courtesy runner.

On the mound, Kyler Beekman (1-0) picked up his first win of the season as he went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out five. Ethan Merk threw 1.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit with one strikeout. Isaiah Miller threw 1.0 innings, walking one and striking out one.

Next up for the Tigers is a doubleheader at Tabor on Tuesday, February 20. First pitch is set for 12 PM.