[Softball] Softball Sweeps Saint Mary in Low-Scoring Contests

Doane Softball earned a sweep of College of Saint Mary on Sunday afternoon in Crete as the teams battled in a pair of low-scoring games. The Tigers improved to 17-12 on the season and 4-0 in the GPAC. Doane took game one, 2-1, and game two, 3-0.

Game One
Hits were at a premium in the opening game with Doane picking up four and Saint Mary collecting three. The pitchers dominated the early innings as the game was scoreless through three innings.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, Doane finally broke through as an error would put the leadoff batter on second base. With one out, Alicia Vint (SO/Onalaska, Wash.) came to the plate and delivered the Tigers' first hit of the game and drove in the first run.

Saint Mary tied the game in the top of the 6th inning in the same way the Tigers had taken the lead. An error put the leadoff batter on and a one-out hit plated a run. Doane came back in the bottom of the 6th inning to regain the lead. Shelby Downard (SO/Marysville, Kan.) doubled to lead off the inning and was moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt. Vint came up again with one out and delivered her second hit of the game, a RBI-triple. 

Josie Schnakenberg (JR/Wahoo, Neb.) picked up the win for Doane, throwing 7.0 innings and allowing one unearned run and striking out seven.

Vint went 2-for-3 with two RBIs with Downard going 1-for-2 with two runs scored.

Game Two
Downard was in the circle for game two and threw Doane's first GPAC shutout since early April 2019. She limited the Flames to five hits while striking out six batters. The defense also turned two double plays to prevent any potential rallies.

Jade Hill (FR/San Diego, Calif.) opened the bottom of the 1st inning with a single and advanced to third base via two wild pitches. Angelina Esqueda (FR/Las Vegas, Nev.) picked up the first RBI of the game with a ground out to bring in Hill.

In the top of the 2nd inning, the Flames drew a leadoff walk. The next batter attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt and Kayla Miller (FR/Yuciapa, Cali.) came out from behind the plate to pick up the ball and throw to first base for the initial out. Esqueda, covering the bag, made the catch and turned to throw behind the runner who had advanced around the second base bag. Hill then applied the tag to turn a double play.

With Doane leading 1-0 heading into the 5th inning, Saint Mary placed the first two batters on base. Again the Flames looked to advance the runners with a bunt but on this attempt the ball was popped up and Downard made the catch, turned and fired over to first base to get the runner out trying to retreat back to the bag for another double play.

The Tigers were able to add to their lead in the 6th inning with a two-out, two-run single by Haley Kennedy (JR/Lincoln, Neb.). An error had extended the inning and allowed Vint and Payton Cooley (FR/Omaha, Neb.) to score on Kennedy's base hit.

For the game, Hill was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Kennedy led the way with two RBIs.