Idaho Bound: Baseball Wins Lincoln Bracket to Advance to World Series

LINCOLN, Neb. - Doane baseball is headed to the Avista NAIA World Series for the first time in program history after rallying past Madonna (Mich.) 7-4 on Wednesday afternoon to claim the NAIA Opening Round Lincoln Bracket championship at Sherman Field.

Trailing 3-0 after Madonna plated three runs in the top of the third inning, the Tigers responded with steady offensive pressure and timely hitting to continue their historic season. Doane improved to 47-9 on the year with the victory and secured the program's first-ever trip to Lewiston, Idaho, and the Avista NAIA World Series.

The comeback began in the bottom of the third when Max Harris doubled down the left field line before Carter Roth delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Doane then took control in the fifth inning with a three-run surge. Harris started the rally after being hit by a pitch and stealing second base. Roth followed with another RBI single before Tanner Nelson and Jett Grossart added consecutive hits. Grossart tied the game with an RBI single to right field, and Brayden Jones brought home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice groundout to put the Tigers ahead 4-3.

The Tigers added insurance in both the seventh and eighth innings. Grossart drove in Grant Sommers with an RBI single in the seventh, then Doane answered Madonna's unearned run in the eighth with two more scores. Sommers ripped an RBI double down the right field line before Grossart capped his standout day with another RBI single to extend the lead to 7-4.

Grossart paced the offense by going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a walk, while Roth finished 2-for-5 with two RBI. Nelson added three hits, and Harris scored twice as Doane collected 12 hits in the championship victory.

On the mound, Broc Songster delivered a strong outing to earn the win, tossing eight innings while allowing four runs, only three earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts. Garrett Klein shut the door in the ninth inning, retiring all three batters he faced and striking out one to earn the save.

Madonna, which entered the game with a 43-15 record, jumped ahead early with a three-run third inning behind RBI singles from Ty Stepek and Kooper Etheridge. However, the Tigers' pitching staff settled in from there, allowing just one unearned run over the final six innings.

The win capped an unforgettable week for Doane in front of its home fans at Sherman Field and punched the Tigers' ticket to the sport's biggest stage. The Avista NAIA World Series will begin later this month in Lewiston, Idaho.

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