Doane sweeps DWU in GPAC doubleheader

CRETE, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team concluded its weekend Nebraska trip on Sunday dropping a Great Plains Athletics Conference doubleheader to Doane University in Crete, Neb.

 The Tigers of DWU struggled to find any offense in Game One. Doane (11-12, 2-0 GPAC) was backed by a phenomenal pitching performance from starter Caleb Goedeken as he kept DWU at bay for most of the game. Doane put up a run in the fourth and four more in the sixth to seal the 5-0 victory. Senior Jared Neilan (Pierre, S.D.) went 2-for-3, while Tramane Moore (Los Banos, Calif.) added a double. Steven Somerville (Ajax, Toronto, Canada) suffered the loss after tossing five and a third innings, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits, while striking out a batter and walking another.

 Game Two was a different story for both teams. Doane ran out to an 8-3 lead after four innings, but DWU kept clawing back and eventually added a seven spot in the seventh inning. However, two runs in the bottom of the eighth for Doane proved to be enough as they took the finale 12-11.

 DWU plated the first run of the game after a Branden Oropeza (San Francisco, Calif.) triple drove home Neilan. The Tigers added two more in the top of the second when Neilan doubled to centerfield to score Moore and Zach Uttecht (Pierce, Neb.) had an RBI groundout.

 In the top of the fifth, Landon Neugebauer (Mitchell, S.D.) singled to right field that scored James Williams (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), but DWU did most of its damage in the top of the seventh after Oropeza scored on an errant throw. A few batters later, Hartman Katz (Huron, S.D.) drew an RBI walk and Tyler Waddle (Huron, S.D.) followed with a double to score two more Tiger runners. DWU wasn't finished as Colten Boudreau (St. Clement, Manitoba, Canada) singled, followed by a single from Moore that scored two more. Neilan rounded out the Tiger scoring in the bottom half of the inning as he advanced to second on a wild pitch that scored Boudreau.

 Moore led DWU at the plate, going 4-for-5 with an RBI, run and a walk. Williams had one of his best days in a Tiger uniform going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, triple and two runs. Neugebauer added two hits, while Neilan and Waddle each added a double. Oropeza also pitched in a triple in the loss.

 The loss went to Steven Sagasty (Pacifica, Calif.) after he tossed two innings in relief, allowing two earned runs on two hits, while walking two.

 The Tigers (6-13, 1-3 GPAC) visit in-state rival Mount Marty College for a GPAC doubleheader at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Yankton, S.D.