[Softball] Softball Opens Friends Invite with Two Wins

Doane Softball opened the Friends Invitational on Friday and went 2-1 on the day. The Tigers opened with a 3-2 loss in eight innings to Friends before bouncing back with an 8-3 win over Peru State and a 3-2 victory against Bethel.

Game One
Doane built the early lead with a run in each of the first two innings, however, Friends was able to battle back and force extra innings before eventually picking up the victory.

The Tigers put together a two-out rally for the first run of the game. Angelina Esqueda (FR/Las Vegas, Nev.) tripled with two outs and came around to score on a RBI-single by Kayla Miller (FR/Yuciapa, Cali.) in the 1st inning. In the 2nd inning, Kailyn Wiseman (JR/Sutton, Neb.) had a one-out RBI-single to plate Blaire Edeal (JR/Lexington, Neb.). Doane missed an opportunity to add more runs as they left the bases loaded.

Friends came back with a run in the 3rd inning and tied the game in the 5th. Both Falcon runs scored on RBI-doubles. In the 8th inning, Doane was able to place Payton Cooley (FR/Omaha, Neb.) on 2nd base to start the inning with the tie-breaker rule in place. Friends' pitcher Hali Walters was not affected as she struck out the side in holding Doane scoreless. In the bottom of the inning, Friends started with a runner on 2nd base and used an error and a single to score the winning run.

Doane finished with eight hits in the game, three from Miller and two from Esqueda. Josie Schnakenberg (JR/Wahoo, Neb.) was in the circle for the Tigers and allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits and three walks while striking out four.

Game Two
Doane plated five runs in the 5th inning to secure their first victory of the day. The Tigers jumped out early with two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Miller plated Jade Hill (FR/San Diego, Calif.) on a RBI-ground out for the first run and Shelby Downard (SO/Marysville, Kan.) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate to score Wiseman.

Peru State came back in the 2nd inning with three runs on five hits. All five hits came after the first two batters in the inning struck out.

The Tigers tied the game in the 3rd inning on a RBI-single by Miller as Wiseman scored. In the 5th inning, Doane sent 11 batters to the plate as they scored five runs with two outs to take the lead. The Tigers regained the lead on a bases loaded walk drawn by Jadyn Hunt (FR/Elkhorn, Neb.) to score Kierney Skiles (FR/Gretna, Neb.). Shelby Downard scored on a wild pitch for the team's second run of the inning while an error allowed Alicia Vint (SO/Onalaska, Wash.) to score the third run. Hill and Esqueda picked up RBIs to close out the scoring.

Downard was in the circle and closed the door on Peru State over the last two innings, keeping the Bobcats off the base paths. She finished the game with 7.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Doane had nine hits in the game, with two apiece coming from Wiseman, Megan Elliott (FR/Simi Valley, Calif.), and Vint. Miller led the team with two RBIs and Wiseman posted a team-best two runs scored.

Game Three
All the scoring in the final game of the day came in the final two innings as Doane rallied for a 3-2 victory. The game belonged to the pitchers early on before the bats came through late.

Ashley Jacobson (JR/Omaha, Neb.) was in the circle for Doane to start the game and she went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five.

Doane took the lead in the top of the 6th following back-to-back two-out doubles by Esqueda and Miller. Bethel came back in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run to take the lead into the final inning.

The Tigers opened the 7th inning with a leadoff double by Downard. Cooley pinch ran and came around to score on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Vint. Hill delivered a RBI-single with two outs to plate Vint for the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the 7th, Schnakenberg came into the game and shut the door on Threshers to pick up her first career save. Emily Haines (FR/Folsom, Calif.), who closed out the 6th inning for Doane, picked up her first career win.

Six different players combined for the Tigers' six hits in the game.