Vulcano Ties Single Game Home Run Record in Road Split

Baseball traveled to Orange City, Iowa, on Friday to take on Northwestern in a conference doubleheader. The Red Raiders rallied for a walk-off win in the opener, 5-4, but Doane rallied late in game two, 9-8.

Doane scored the first four runs of game one. Noah Winkelman drove in one run in the 1st inning with an RBI-single and Nate Mensik followed with a two-run double to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Winkelman hit a solo home run in the third inning to put the Tigers up four.

Northwestern came back with two runs in the third inning to cut the Doane lead in half. They hit a solo home run in the fifth to pull within a run, 4-3. In the bottom of the seventh, the Red Raiders picked up a bases loaded single up the middle with two outs to pick up the win.

Kellan Voggesser started for Doane and went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Raidyn Steele threw 1.0 innings, allowing two runs on one hit and one walk with one strikeout. Kyler Beekman threw 0.1 inning, walking one and allowing one hit.

Doane had seven hits in the game, including two from Winkelman. He was joined by Mensik with two RBI apiece. Winkelman also scored two runs.

In game two, Joe Osborn started the scoring with a solo home run to lead off the game. Dane Kelsey added to the Tiger lead with an RBI-single in the first inning. Northwestern came back with one run in the bottom of the first, leaving Doane up, 2-1.

Aaron Vulcano put a run on the board in the second inning with a solo home run. Northwestern picked up a run in the bottom of the inning to bring the Tiger lead back to one run.

Vulcano doubled in the fourth inning to plate Carson Baker and Mensik doubled in the fifth inning to plate Justin Nevells. Vulcano hit his second home run of the game in the sixth inning to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead.

Northwestern took the lead in the sixth inning as they plated six runs on three hits, a walk, a hit batter, and two Tiger errors.

In the eighth inning, Vulcano tied the Doane single-game record as he launched his third home run of the game, a solo blast to open the inning. With one out, Cristian Yanez stepped in as a pinch hitter and on one swing he tied the game with a solo home run. Kelsey put the Tigers in front with a sacrifice fly to plate Baker.

In the bottom of the ninth, Northwestern opened the inning with a double and a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. The Red Raiders attempted a squeeze play to try and tie the game only to have Ethan Merk pick up the ball and flip it home to Dionysius Chialtas, who chased the runner back towards third base before applying the tag. With runners at first and second base, a passed ball allowed the two runners to move up and put the winning run in scoring position. Merk fell behind in the count, 3-1, but bounced back to record a strikeout for the second out of the inning. He came through with a strikeout to end the game and pick up the victory.

Broc Songster started for the Tigers and threw 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six. Merk threw the final 4.0 innings, allowing four unearned runs on five hits with four strikeouts. 

Doane picked up 13 hits in the game, led by Vulcano going 4-for-4 with four extra base hits, three runs scored, and four RBI. Osborn and Nevells added two hits apiece. Baker scored two runs and Kelsey drove in two runs.

Next up for the Tigers will be a Saturday showdown with Dordt. First pitch in Crete is set for 10 AM.