Baseball Captures GPAC Title Behind Jones' Blast

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Doane Baseball captured the GPAC regular season championship on Saturday afternoon, holding off Morningside for a 7-6 victory in game one of a conference doubleheader.

The Tigers used timely power hitting and late-inning execution to secure the title, finishing with 10 hits, including three home runs, in the seven-inning contest.

Doane broke through in the second inning when Carter Roth delivered an RBI double to score Brayden Jones for the game's first run. The Tigers added to the lead in the fourth inning as Jones launched a solo home run down the right field line to make it 2-0.

Morningside answered in the fifth with a four-run inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from Jacob O'Dell, to take a 4-2 advantage. The Mustangs extended their lead to 6-3 in the sixth, putting pressure on the Tigers heading into the late innings.

Doane responded immediately. In the sixth inning, Roth reached on a single before Grant Sommers blasted a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 6-5. The Tigers then completed the comeback in the seventh inning when Jones struck again, crushing his second home run of the game—a two-run shot to right-center—to give Doane a 7-6 lead.

Jones powered the offense, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Sommers added a home run and two RBIs, while Roth finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

On the mound, Gabe Rodriguez started for Doane, working five innings while allowing five runs on two hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Cade Bridges earned the win in relief, tossing 1.1 innings and limiting damage in a key stretch. Garrett Klein closed the door, recording the final two outs to secure the victory.

Morningside was limited to just three hits in the game but capitalized on walks and hit-by-pitches to generate offense.

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