Softball Sweeps Dakota Wesleyan on Senior Day

Doane Softball played their final home games of the regular season on Saturday as they hosted Dakota Wesleyan. Following Senior Day recognition prior to the game, the Tigers picked up two wins, 4-3 and 9-6. The victories kept the team's postseason hopes alive as they head into their final doubleheader next weekend.

In the opener, Dakota Wesleyan picked up a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Doane struck with four runs as an error plated two runs to tie the game and Camry Moore doubled to give the Tigers the lead with two more runs.

Dakota Wesleyan threatened in the seventh inning as they scored a run to pull within a single run but Moore closed the door on the DWU rally, leaving the trying run stranded on base.

Moore picked up her 14th win of the season, moving into a tie for 8th on the Doane single season record books. She allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out two.

Megan Elliott led the team with two hits. The Tigers had four different players score runs, all in the second inning, as Anna Prauner, Angelina Esqueda, Payton Cooley, and Grace Dowding scored.

In the second game, Doane scored first on an RBI-single from Elliott. DWU tied the game in the second inning on a sacrifice fly. Doane regained the lead in the third inning as they scored three runs. Shelby Robinson had an RBI-single and Elliott had a two-run single to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Each team scored two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings, with Doane leading 8-5 heading into the sixth inning. In the fourth for Doane, Cooley had an RBI-double and later scored on a wild pitch. Jadyn Hunt had a two-run double in the fifth inning for Doane's runs.

Doane's final run came in the sixth inning on an RBI-single by Faith Molina. DWU scored their final run on a home run in the seventh inning.

Molina picked up the win for the Tigers, throwing 4.0 innings in relief. She allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three. Emily Haines started for the Tigers and went 3.0 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits.

Doane had 13 hits in the second game, three from Esqueda and Elliott. Esqueda scored a team-high three runs while Elliott drove in three runners. Dowding scored twice in the game and Hunt added two RBI.

The Tigers will close out the regular season on Saturday, April 29, at Mount Marty in Yankton, S.D.