Softball Splits in Return to South Dakota

Doane Softball returned to Aberdeen, S.D., on Saturday as they played a pair of games. The Tigers dropped their first game against Minnesota State-Moorhead, 9-4, before downing Valley City State, 4-3, in eight innings.

In the opener, Doane took a 2-1 lead through five innings as Camry Moore drove in Grace Dowding for both runs. In the sixth inning, the Dragons pushed five runs across the plate on three hits and two Doane errors. The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning. Angelina Esqueda stole home on the back end of a double steal. Dowding then singled to drive in Hannah Baesler.

Faith Molina started for Doane and went 5.1 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits with six strikeouts. Emily Haines threw 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits.

Dowding went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Doane finished with six hits in the game.

In the final game of the day, the Tigers jumped out early with a run in the third inning on a Dowding sacrifice fly. The Vikings came back to take the lead in the sixth inning with two runs on four hits.

In the seventh inning, the Tigers loaded the bases with one out. A one-hop ground ball back to the pitcher's circle handcuffed the Vikings pitcher and Doane scored the tying run on an error. In extra innings and a runner placed on second base to start, the Tigers scored twice in the eighth inning. Anna Prauner and Hannah Pack delivered doubles to play runs. The Vikings scored one run in the bottom of the eighth but left two runners on base to end the game.

Moore threw 8.0 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits with seven strikeouts in picking up the win.

Prauner picked up two of the team's seven hits. Six players had a hit in the game.

Doane will play Dickinson State in a doubleheader on Sunday, February 19, starting at noon.