Four Home Run Day Lifts Softball to Sweep of Flames

Doane Softball was back in the win column on Tuesday afternoon with a sweep of their doubleheader against College of Saint Mary. The Tigers took game one, 9-0 in five innings, and rallied in game two for a 15-12 victory.

In the opener, Camry Moore started in the pitcher's circle and scattered four hits over 5.0 innings as she struck out six batters.

Doane plated four runs in the first inning to jump out to the early lead. An error allowed the first run to score and two batters later, Megan Elliott hit a three-run home run for a 4-0 lead. 

In the third inning the Tigers added two more runs. Shelby Robinson scored on a passed ball while Jadyn Hunt had an RBI-single to go in front, 6-0.

Hannah Baesler extended the lead in the fourth inning with a two-run home run. Moore capped the scoring with an RBI-single in the inning as well.

Doane finished the game with 10 hits, two apiece from Grace Dowding, Baesler, and Robinson. Robinson scored a team-high three runs while Elliott had the team-high honor with three RBI.

The second game was a wild scoring affair as the teams added the additional battle against the cold front moving through. Temperatures dropped more than 25 degrees from the start of game one to the end of game two.

After a scoreless first inning, Saint Mary jumped on the Tigers in the top of the second with four runs. Doane came back in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half on a two-run home run by Hunt.

The Flames came right back and extended their lead in the third inning with four more runs, taking an 8-2 lead. With one out, CSM collected four consecutive singles and a walk to account for two runs. A two-out single brought in two more runners.

The Tigers answered back in the bottom of the third inning with four runs as well. Baesler delivered an RBI-single and Robinson had a sacrifice fly for the first two runs. Elliott would hit her second home run of the day to make the score, 8-6, in favor of the Flames.

Doane could not be kept off the base paths to start the bottom of the fourth inning as the first four batters singled with Baesler driving in a run to pull the Tigers within one run, 8-7. The first out of the inning came on a sacrifice fly by Robinson to tie the game.

Moore gave Doane their first lead of the second game with a two-run single. Following a walk to Elliott, Hunt singled to drive in a run. An infield single paired with a throwing error brought in another Tiger run. Angelina Esqueda picked up her second hit of the inning to drive in a run and Baesler added another RBI-hit, a two-run single to cap the scoring.

At the end of the fourth inning, Doane led 15-8. The Tigers had scored nine runs on nine hits in the inning.

Saint Mary would not go quietly, as the cut into the Doane lead right away. In the fifth inning, an RBI-single followed by a three-run home run pulled the Flames back to within three runs. Neither team would score the rest of the way.

Emily Haines drew the start and went 1.2 innings before exiting the game. However, she would return later in the game and finished with 4.1 innings pitched and recorded her first save of the season. Hannah Kline finished with 1.2 innings pitched and collected her first win of the season.

Doane finished the game with 16 hits, three apiece from Baesler, Hunt, and Esqueda. Hunt finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Baesler drove in four runs with Hunt plating three runners. Esqueda scored a team-high three runs. Every spot in the Tiger order accounted for either a run scored or an RBI in the game.

Next up for Doane will be a doubleheader on Saturday, April 8, against Briar Cliff. First pitch is set for 1 PM.