Sommers Smacks Two Home Runs in Game Two

CRETE, Neb. - Doane completed the doubleheader sweep with Northwestern on Thursday afternoon by taking game two, 6-4, in GPAC action at Doane Ballfield Complex in Crete.

The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the first when Grant Sommers launched a solo home run to left, giving Doane a 1-0 lead.

Doane added to its advantage in the second. Johnny Vulcano started the inning with a single and later moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt after Brayden Jones had drawn a walk. Adam Vulcano then singled in Johnny Vulcano to make it 2-0, and Carter Roth followed with a sacrifice fly to right that brought home Jones for a 3-0 cushion.

Northwestern answered in the top of the third. Grant Guidry doubled to right-center and Devin Dirkx followed with a two-run homer to left, trimming the Doane lead to 3-2.

The Tigers quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning. Tanner Nelson reached on a walk and Thaden Wewel came on to courtesy run. After Wewel moved to second on a wild pitch, Johnny Vulcano ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score him. Two batters later, Brayden Jones doubled to center to plate Johnny Vulcano and push the Doane lead back to 5-2.

Sommers provided another big swing in the fourth, belting his second solo homer of the day to left field to stretch the advantage to 6-2.

Northwestern made one more push in the fifth. Nikolai Wede and Guidry opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Ranier Castillo doubled down the right field line to score Wede. Jack Craig later brought home Guidry with a groundout, cutting the deficit to 6-4.

That was as close as the Red Raiders would get. Riley Plummer worked through five innings to earn the win, and Ethan Merk shut the door over the final two frames to collect the save. Merk did not allow a run over the sixth and seventh innings, striking out two and stranding three runners.

Sommers led the Tigers offensively by going 2-for-3 with two home runs and two RBIs. Johnny Vulcano finished 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI, while Brayden Jones added a double, an RBI, and a walk. Adam Vulcano also drove in a run for Doane.

Plummer picked up the win after allowing four runs on seven hits across five innings. Merk earned the save with two scoreless innings of relief.

Doane finished with seven hits in the victory, while Northwestern totaled eight. The Tigers moved to 25-7 overall and 11-3 in GPAC play with the win.

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