The Tiger softball team was able to get back on the winning track on Sunday morning as they opened the SunWest Touranment with an 11-4 victory over Suffolk University. The win also evened the Tigers' record at 3-3 while the Rams fell to 0-5. The victory did not come easy in the early innings as Suffolk plated three runs in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the inning and runners at second and third, Tiger start Megan Wingate hit a batter to load the bases. Suffolk followed with back-to-back singles to plate three runs. Wingate did strikeout the side but left the inning trailing by three.
Doane was shut down in order in the bottom of the first but Wingate came back in the second inning and kept the Rams off the scoreboard.
The Tigers put their first runs up in the bottom of the second inning. Brooke Sampson and Jen Montoya led off the inning with singles and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. With one down, Hannah Kroese delivered a double to plate Sampson and Montoya and cut the Ram lead to 3-2.
In the third, Whitney Poole and Deidre Cardoza led off with singles to give the Tigers runners at second and third base as Cardoza moved up on a throw to the infield as Poole went from first to third.
Sampson reached on a fielder's choice that plated Poole to tie the game at 3-all. The Tigers took the lead on a Montoya ground out that scored Cardoza. With Sampson on second base, Amber Stater singled in another run for the Tigers. Doane plated their final run following a single by Kroese that advanced Stater into scoring position. Jenna Alswager singled in Stater as Doane put four runs on the board in the bottom of the third to take a 6-2 lead.
Suffolk came back with a run off of Wingate in the fourth. The Rams' leadoff batter walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. She came into score on an error by Wingate.
Doane did answer back in the bottom of the inning with a run from Poole. She reached on an error by the third baseman to start the inning and stole second base and moved up to third on a throwing error. Poole then stole home to give the Tigers a 7-4 lead.
Jennifer Liddell entered the game for Wingate and pitched three scoreless innings. In the process, Doane added four runs to their lead.
With two down in the fifth, Kroese singled and stole second. Alswager then singled to score Kroese. Following a Kayla Hochstein walk, Poole had an infield single and Alswager came around to score on an errant throw.
In the sixth, Christy Kobza led off with a single and was pinch run for by Brianna Dickinson. Sampson singled and moved to second when Dickinson was thrown out at third on a double-steal attempt. Montoya promptly followed with a double to score Sampson. Gina Falciani ran for Montoya and came around to score on a single from Kroese.
Kroese ended the game going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Poole, Sampson, Montoya and Alswager each went 2-for-4 as the Tigers finished with 15 hits in the game. Montoya and Alswager had two RBIs apiece while Sampson led the squad with three runs scored.
Wingate picked up the win, throwing four innings and allowing four runs on four hits while striking out six. Liddell picked up the save with three shutout innings. She gave up one hit and struck out two.