[Softball] Softball Sweeps Lancers Heading Into GPAC Tourney

Doane Softball closed out the regular season on Saturday with a sweep of Mount Marty in Yankton. The wins left Doane tied for fifth place in the GPAC, their highest finish since 2018. The Tigers took the opener, 4-3, and then rallied in game two for an 8-6 win. Doane will be the 6th-seed in the GPAC Tournament and travel to the Morningside Bracket on Wednesday, May 5.

Game One
The Lancers took an early lead only to see the Tigers bounce back quickly to tie the game and then take the lead. Mount Marty closed the gap only to be held hitless over the final two innings.

In the 1st inning, a single and a home run put the Lancers up 2-0 just two batters in. Mount Marty would load the bases before the inning came to a close on a strikeout.

Doane came back in the 2nd inning as they opened the frame with two straight hits. However, two outs later the Tigers were in danger of not plating a run. On a ground ball, Mount Marty committed a throwing error to allow two runs to score to tie the game.

Kayla Miller (FR/Yuciapa, Cali.) put Doane in front in the 3rd inning with a two-run home run. Shelby Downard (SO/Marysville, Kan.) drew a one-out walk and came around to score on Miller's blast. The Lancers hit a solo home run in the 5th inning to pull within a run but was held off the base path in the final two innings.

The middle of the Tiger order was the key to Doane's victory as Miller went 3-for-4 and Megan Elliott (FR/Simi Valley, Calif.) was 3-for-3. Their spots in the order combined to score three runs.

Josie Schnakenberg (JR/Wahoo, Neb.) threw a complete game in picking up her 13th win of the season. In 7.0 innings of work, she scattered five hits while striking out nine. Schnakenberg increased her season total for strikeouts to 163, 2nd-most in a season on the Doane record books.

Game Two
Mount Marty once again took an early lead only to see the Tigers explode for six runs in the 6th inning.

Through five innings, Mount Marty had built a 4-2 advantage. Doane scored two runs in the 4th inning on a hit and an error. Miller drew a bases-loaded walk for the team's first run and Alicia Vint (SO/Onalaska, Wash.) scored the second run as the Lancers turned a double play to limit the Tigers' potential for a big inning.

In the 6th inning, Doane pushed six runs across the plate on four hits. The inning opened with a walk and hit batter to start the rally. Haley Kennedy (JR/Lincoln, Neb.) delivered a RBI-single to plate the first run. Kailyn Wiseman (JR/Sutton, Neb.) drove in a run as the Lancers were able to get a force out at the plate and Jade Hill (FR/San Diego, Calif.) drew a bases loaded walk to give Doane a 5-4 lead. Downard followed with a bases-clearing double to go in up, 8-4.

Mount Marty scored two runs in the 6th inning to pull within two runs but the Tiger defense turned a double play to end the inning.

Ashley Jacobson (JR/Omaha, Neb.) threw the final 2.2 innings to pick up the victory out of the bullpen. She allowed two runs on two hits while striking out five. Downard started, going 4.1 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with two strikeouts.

Offensively, Downard was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Kennedy added two hits while Hill and Vint scored two runs apiece.