BOX SCORE
The Tiger baseball saw their season come to an end on Friday afternoon with a 14-7 loss to Hastings College in an elimination game at the GPAC Tournament in Mitchell, S.D. The Broncos scored all 14 runs after the fourth inning.
The game started as a pitcher's dual between Evan Koetter and Hastings' AJ Clark. Koetter struck out seven in the first three innings, including striking out the side in the first and third innings.
Doane broke on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Derin Benson led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a groundout by Austin Tharp. With two outs in the inning, AJ Spanel delivered a RBI single to plate Benson.
In the fifth, Hastings scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead. The Broncos used four hits and a walk as they scored two unearned runs.
In the bottom of the inning, Benson drew a lead-off walk and came around to score on Austin Tharp's first collegiate home run.
With Hastings leading by one, the Broncos busted the game wide open with eight runs over the next two innings.
Trailing 12-3, the Tigers put together one last charge as they scored four runs in the eighth. Spanel led off with a triple and scored as Blake Snow reached on an error. With out, Tom Frinkman singled and Josh Reed walked to load the bases. Luke Henderson delivered a RBI-single to left to drive in Snow to cut the lead to 12-5.
Benson followed with a two-run single as Reed and Frinkman scored for the Tigers but Benson was thrown out at second trying to advance. Doane finished with four hits in the inning, nearly half of their game total of nine.
Hastings scored twice in the ninth to finish with a 14-7 lead.
Koetter took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in five-plus innings. He walked six and struck out eight. Matt Komenda allowed two runs on one hit and one walk without recording an out. Chance Brull threw 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out four. Jacob Cathey threw 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits. Doane pitchers combined to strike out 14 Hastings batters.
At the plate, Benson went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Spanel went 2-for-5 with a run and a RBI. Tharp added two RBIs for the Tigers.