Softball Drops Extra Inning Game with Wolves

In the final game of the day for Doane Softball, the Tigers took on NCAA Division II Northern State (S.D.) at the Presentation Dome Classic. The teams needed extra innings before the Wolves finished with a walk-off win over Doane, 6-3.

Doane was the first to score in the game as they picked up a run in the third inning. With one out, Jadyn Hunt singled and was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Grace Dowding. Kristen Malloy followed and picked up her first hit as a Tigers, a two-out RBI single to drive in Hunt for a 1-0 lead.

Northern State came back in the fourth inning with two runs to take the lead. Kyra Knudtson opened the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. Ashley Fauske picked a two-out single to put the Wolves in front, 2-1.

In the sixth inning, the Tigers tied the game as Megan Elliott delivered a two-out single to plate Dowding. She had opened the inning with a single. The game remained tied until the eighth inning.

In the top of the first extra frame, Doane put Hunt at second base with the international tie-break rule in place. Dowding sacrificed her to third base and she scored on a Malloy ground out.

The Wolves started the bottom of the eighth with their runner at second base. An infield single and an error plated the tying run for Northern State. Following a walk, the Wolves had the winning run at second base. The Tigers were able to get a pair of outs and nearly turned an inning-ending double play on a popout. Unfortunately, the opportunity to keep the inning going was taken advantage of by Tevan Bryant as she hit a three-run home run to end the game.

Doane out-hit Northern State, 7-6, for the game. Faith Molina and Elliott had two hits apiece. Malloy led the way with two runs driven in while Hunt scored two runs for the Tigers.

Molina threw a complete game, going 7.2 innings as she allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits and three walks. She struckout 11 batters in her collegiate pitching debut.

The Tigers will return to the Presentation Dome on Saturday as they open play against Minnesota-Moorhead.