Doane Softball headed north to Orange City, Iowa, to take on Northwestern in a GPAC doubleheader. The Tigers jumped out early in game one and posted a 5-2 victory while the Red Raiders took the early lead in game two and coasted to an 8-0 win in five innings.
Game One
Back-to-back two-out hits in the first inning put the Tigers on the board first and they never looked back in the opener as they out-hit Northwestern, 13-5. Shelby Downard (SO/Marysville, Kan.) hit a two-run home run as Doane went in front 2-0.
The Red Raiders were able to get a run back in the bottom of the 1st as a passed ball allowed an unearned run to cross the plate. Doane scored twice in the 3rd inning as Downard had a RBI-single, which was followed by a RBI-single by Megan Elliott (FR/Simi Valley, Calif.).
Northwestern cut the Doane lead to a pair of runs by hitting a solo home run to open the bottom of the 5th, leaving the Tigers in front, 4-2. In the top of the 6th, Doane responded in kind as Jadyn Hunt (FR/Elkhorn, Neb.) hit a pinch-hit solo home run to push the lead back to three runs. In the bottom of the 7th, the Red Raiders threatened by putting two on with one out. A foul out and a fly out ended the game for the Tigers.
Josie Schnakenberg (JR/Wahoo, Neb.) picked up her 10th win of the season as she threw a complete game, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out nine.
Downard went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three driven in. Angelina Esqueda (FR/Las Vegas, Nev.) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Elliott and Alicia Vint (SO/Onalaska, Wash.) had two hits apiece as well.
Game Two
Northwestern scored runs in each of the five innings to post the eight-run victory. The Red Raiders out-hit Doane, 11-3.
In the 1st inning, Northwestern loaded the bases with two infield hits and a walk to open the inning. Downard, pitching for Doane, was able to get a ground ball back to the circle, threw home for the lead out and Jayden Young (FR/Iowa City, Iowa) threw to first to complete the double play. However, the Red Raiders followed with a RBI-single to take a 1-0 lead.
A two-out, two-run home run gave the Red Raiders a 3-0 lead in the 2nd inning. Northwestern added a two-our, RBI-single in the 3rd followed by two runs in the 4th. In the 5th, Northwestern had two hits to go with two Doane errors to close out the game.
Downard finished the game with 2.2 innings pitched, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. Emily Haines (FR/Folsom, Calif.) threw 1.2 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits.
Doane's hits came from Jade Hill (FR/San Diego, Calif.), Downard, and Elliott.
