Crawford Ties Career Wins Record as Baseball Advances

CRETE, Neb. — Facing elimination in the GPAC Tournament, Doane baseball kept its season alive Thursday afternoon with a commanding 12-2 victory over Northwestern (Iowa) at Doane Ballfield Complex.

Batting as the visiting team, the Tigers (40-9) struck early and controlled the game from the top half of the innings, using timely hitting and a late surge to pull away.

Northwestern took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Doane quickly responded in the top of the second. Brayden Jones tied the game with a solo home run before the Tigers pieced together a four-run frame. Jordan Bond added an RBI single, and Carter Roth delivered a two-run single to give Doane a 4-1 advantage.

The Tigers added to their lead in the top of the seventh when Tanner Nelson singled home a run to make it 5-1. Northwestern answered with a run in the bottom half, but Doane's offense had one more decisive push.

In the top of the eighth, the Tigers broke the game open with a seven-run inning. Max Harris drove in two with a single up the middle, while Grant Sommers, Nelson, and Jett Grossart each contributed RBI. Jones capped the inning with a two-run single, extending the lead to 12-2.

Doane finished with 13 hits on the afternoon, led by Roth and Bond with three hits apiece. Jones totaled three RBI, while Nelson added two RBI in the win.

On the mound, Kaden Crawford delivered a strong start, tossing seven innings to earn the win. The victory was his 28th career win, tying him with Aaron Forrest atop the Doane chart. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out six. Josh Kearney closed out the game with a scoreless inning of relief. 

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