Baseball Advances to GPAC Championship Game

Baseball hosted the final day of the Doane Bracket for the GPAC Tournament with the Tigers hosting Jamestown. The Jimmies won the opening game, 8-6, to force a winner-take-all final game. Doane pulled away in the late innings for an 11-4 win to advance to the GPAC Championship game on Tuesday.

In game one, Jamestown scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Doane came back with four runs in the third inning. The Tigers took the lead on a three-run double by Noah Winkelman. He came around to score on a single by Aaron Vulcano.

Jamestown battled back to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the third and two more in the fourth. Doane went back in front with two runs in the sixth inning. A wild pitch allowed Carson Baker to score the go-ahead run. Nate Mensik crossed the plate on an RBI-groundout by Winkelman. The Jimmies scored twice in the bottom of the inning to tie the game and used a two-run home run in the seventh to take the lead.

The Tigers finished with 12 hits in the game and left 12 runners on base. Vulcano and Max Harris both went 3-for-5 at the plate while Logan Amick was 2-for-5. Winkelman led the team with four RBI and the Tigers had six different players score runs.

Kaden Crawford started for the Tigers and went 5.0 innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out one. Raidyn Steele threw 1.0 inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Haldon Craig took the loss as he allowed two runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one.

After a pair of scoreless innings, Jamestown broke through with a run in the top of the third inning for the early lead. The Tigers came back with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Amick singled to drive in Mensik. Doane took the lead in the fourth inning with two runs. Harris singled to drive in Narumi Okayasu and LaChance singled to plate Harris.

In the fifth inning, the Jimmies regained the lead on a bases loaded double that plated three runs to put Jamestown in front, 4-3. Doane came back in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead with three runs. Vulcano singled to drive in Joe Osborn to tie the game. Doane took the lead on a wild pitch that allowed Okayasu to score. The throw back to home plate was offline and rolled away from the pitcher to allow Harris to score.

LaChance delivered an RBI-single in the seventh to plate Vulcano for a 7-4 lead. In the eighth, the Tigers pulled away on one swing by Vulcano, a grand slam home run with two outs for the final runs of the game.

The Tigers had 12 hits once again as Vulcano was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI. Amick was 2-for-5 while Harris and LaChance were both 2-for-4. Tiger batters combined to see 150 pitches from seven Jamestown pitchers.

Broc Songster picked up the win as he went 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks while striking out four. Ethan Merk picked up the save with 4.0 scoreless innings pitched, allowing two hits.

Doane will play at Seward on Tuesday, May 7, for the GPAC Championship. Concordia knocked off Midland to advance to the title game in their bracket.