Baseball Turns Double Play to Sweep the Mustangs

Game two of the baseball doubleheader with Morningside started very similar to the opening game with both teams scoring in the first inning. However, runs would be at a premium with Doane tallying the winning run in the fifth inning in a 2-1 victory over the Mustangs to complete the sweep on the day.

Morningside utilized a sacrifice fly to drive in their only run of the game in the top of the opening inning. Doane tied the game in the bottom of the frame as Brayden Jones singled to drive in Johnny Vulcano. Vulcano had reached with a double, his fourth of the day.

Both teams put runners on base in the second inning and Doane would leave the bases loaded in the third as the game remained tied at 1-1 entering the middle innings. The Tigers would load the bases again in the fourth inning but came up scoreless.

In the fifth inning, the Tigers finally broke through. Aaron Vulcano drew a one-out walk and came around to score on a two-out, RBI-double by Jordan Bond to take a 2-1 lead. Morningside started the sixth inning with a single but the runner would be stranded at first base. Doane would again leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning.

In the seventh inning, Ethan Merk came out of the bullpen for Doane and was able to get a ground out for the first out of the inning. However, a walk and two singles later and the Mustangs had the bases loaded. Merk was able to induce a ground ball to Johnny Vulcano. He threw to second base for an out and Justin Nevells relayed a throw to first to Brayden Jones for a game-ending double play.

Riley Plummer started on short rest and gave the Tigers 6.0 innings. He allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out four to improve to 5-0 on the year. Merk picked up his first save, throwing a scoreless inning and allowing two hits and a walk.

The offense was quieter in game two, limited to five hits by five different players. The Tigers did draw nine walks in the game.

Doane will be on the road on Saturday and Sunday as they travel to Forest City, Iowa, to take on Waldorf in a four-game series in the first meeting between the two teams as conference foes.