Baseball Rallies in Opener; Shuts Out DWU in Game Two

Baseball traveled north for the first of two days in Mitchell, S.D., as they took on Dakota Wesleyan. Doane picked up a sweep on Saturday to open the four-game series, taking game one, 6-4 in 10 innings, and game two, 9-0.

In game one, Doane struck first with a solo home run by Dane Kelsey in the second inning. DWU came back in the bottom of the second with a two-run triple to take the lead. Dakota Wesleyan built a 4-1 lead with two more runs in the third inning.

Nate Mensik hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to pull the Tigers within two runs. In the seventh inning, Justin Nevells led off with a double and came in to score on a game-tying two-run home run by Noah Winkelman.

Doane threatened to score in the eighth and ninth innings, leaving a combined five runners on base in the two frames. In the 10th inning, the Tigers broke through with a two-out double by Brayden Jones to go in front 6-4.

Ethan Merk closed the door on DWU in the bottom of the inning to pick up the win. He threw the final 5.2 innings in relief and did not allow a hit. He had two base runners reach base against him, one by hit by pitch and one by an error. Merk retired the final 11 batters and finished with five strikeouts. Aaron Forrest started for the Tigers and threw 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six. He raised his career strikeout total to 299.

Doane had 15 hits in the game, four from Nevells as he went 4-for-6 with two runs scored. Winkelman, Kelsey, Mensik, and Max Harris had two hits apiece. Winkelman and Jones had two RBI each.

In game two, Harris put the Tigers on the board in the second inning with a two-run home run. Joe Osborn hit a solo home run in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. Harris and Jones drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded later in the third inning to put Doane up 5-0. 

Dionysius Chialtas doubled in the fifth inning to drive in the sixth run of the game for Doane. In the sixth, the Tigers added three more runs. Nevells had an RBI-single and came around to score on an Aaron Vulcano single. An error allowed the final run of the inning to score.

Doane collected 11 hits in the game, led by Osborn, Nevells, and Harris with two hits apiece. Osborn and Nevells both scored two runs and drove in one while Harris scored twice and drove in three runs. Winkelman also scored twice.

Kellan Voggesser threw 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out nine, a career-high. Cade Bridges threw the final inning, striking out one batter.

Doane and Dakota Wesleyan will resume their series on Sunday with first pitch set for 12 PM.