Baseball Drops NAIA Opening Round Game in Lincoln

Baseball opened the NAIA Opening Round on Monday evening against the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) in Lincoln. The Tigers fell behind early and came up short in their rally, falling to the Drovers, 8-6.

In the top of the first, USAO picked up two home runs to take a 3-0 lead. Doane came back in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI-triple by Nate Mensik to drive in Dane Kelsey. USAO extended their lead in the third inning with two more home runs for a 6-1 advantage.

The Tigers cut the lead in half in the third inning as Joe Osborn hit a two-run home run to bring in Narumi Okayasu. The Drovers scored a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to take a 7-3 lead. Just Nevells used a two-run double to pull the Tigers within two runs in the bottom of the fourth, 7-5. Max Harris pulled Doane within a run, 7-6, with an RBI-single to plate Nevells. A solo home run by USAO in the ninth wrapped up the scoring.

Doane finished with 13 hits in the game, three apiece from Nevells and Kelsey. Logan Amick and Okayasu had two hits apiece. Osborn and Nevells had two RBI apiece while Okayasu led the team with two runs scored.

Kellan Voggesser started for the Tigers and went 3.0 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two. Raidyn Steele threw 4.0 scoreless, hitless innings, as he allowed five walks and struck out three. Isaiah Miller threw 2.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

Doane will take on St. Francis (Ill.) on Tuesday at 11 AM in a consolation game.