Ten-Run Frame Lifts Baseball in Opener

CRETE, Neb. - Doane exploded for 10 runs in the second inning and went on to defeat Northwestern (Iowa) 15-8 in game one of a GPAC doubleheader on Thursday at Doane Ballfield Complex in Crete.

The Tigers improved to 24-7 overall and 10-3 in GPAC play, while Northwestern moved to 20-11 overall and 8-5 in the league.

Northwestern struck first when Nikolai Wede led off the game with a solo home run to right-center for a 1-0 advantage.

Doane answered immediately in the bottom of the first. Carter Roth singled and Grant Sommers doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Max Harris drove in Roth with a single to left, and Tanner Nelson followed with an RBI single through the left side to score Sommers and put the Tigers in front 2-1.

The Tigers then broke the game open with a 10-run second inning. Brayden Jones started the frame with a solo homer down the left field line. Sam Kwapnioski doubled and scored on Adam Vulcano's RBI double. After Roth was hit by a pitch and Sommers walked to load the bases, Nelson singled home Vulcano to make it 5-1. Johnny Vulcano then brought in Roth on a fielder's choice, and after Jordan Bond walked, Northwestern's right fielder misplayed a ball off the bat of Jones, allowing three runs to score. Kwapnioski added an RBI single, and Adam Vulcano capped the inning with a two-run homer to center as Doane stretched the lead to 12-1.

Northwestern answered with four runs in the third. After a walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases, Ranier Castillo singled in one run, Grant Rychnovsky doubled home two more, and Calab Caciari added an RBI single to cut the margin to 12-5.

Doane got two of those runs right back in the bottom of the third. Sommers doubled to open the inning, Max Harris reached on an error, and Nelson delivered another RBI single through the left side to score Sommers. Later in the inning, Bond grounded out to bring home Harris for a 14-5 lead.

The Red Raiders picked up a run in the fourth on a solo home run by Brody Ayers, but Roth answered in the bottom half with a solo shot to center to make it 15-6.

Northwestern added two more in the fifth on Devin Dirkx's solo home run and a later RBI single from Caciari, but Doane's bullpen shut the door the rest of the way.

Doane finished with 15 runs on 15 hits. Sommers went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, and three runs scored. Nelson was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Adam Vulcano went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored. Roth scored three times and finished 2-for-4 with a homer, while Kwapnioski added two hits, two runs, and an RBI.

Jones scored twice and homered, while Harris collected two hits and drove in a run.

Kaden Crawford earned the win and moved to 7-1, working five innings with seven strikeouts. Cade Bridges tossed the final two innings in relief and did not allow a run, helping the Tigers close out the opener.

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