McDonald Shuts Down Red Raiders to Garner Split

ORANGE CITY, Iowa — Doane used timely hitting, aggressive baserunning and a complete-game effort from Faith McDonald to claim a 5-1 win over Northwestern in game two of a GPAC doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon in Orange City, Iowa.

The Tigers moved to 20-21 overall and 7-11 in conference play with the victory, while Northwestern fell to 27-16 overall and 12-8 in the GPAC.

Doane wasted little time getting on the board in the top of the first. Milannie Gonzalez opened the game with a single, stole both second and third, and came home on a Jeryn Allen groundout to put the Tigers in front 1-0.

Northwestern answered in the bottom half of the inning, using a pair of singles and a Doane error to tie the score at 1-1, but McDonald settled in from there. The right-hander was in control the rest of the way, allowing just three hits and no earned runs over seven innings. She did not issue a walk and struck out three in the complete-game win.

The Tigers regained the lead in the fifth. Jaiden Papik led off with a bunt single and later scored when Jacqueline Ordonez singled up the middle to make it 2-1.

Doane created separation in the sixth. McDonald helped her own cause with a single, Lilly Lewis came in to pinch run and stole second before advancing to third on a passed ball. Addison Parsons then delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon, blasting a two-run home run to center field to extend the lead to 4-1.

The Tigers added one more insurance run in the seventh. Ordonez drew a leadoff walk, moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Pack, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Allen's RBI single up the middle.

Parsons finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, while Allen also drove in two runs. Gonzalez went 2-for-4, scored once and stole two bases. Ordonez went 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Papik added a hit and a run, and Evelyn Iniguez collected two hits.

Doane totaled nine hits in the win and stole five bases.

McDonald was sharp throughout the afternoon, retiring Northwestern in order in the second, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. She stranded runners in scoring position in the third and fifth and closed the game by getting three straight fly-ball outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Tatum Schmalbeck took the loss for Northwestern, allowing five runs on nine hits over seven innings.

(generated by ChatGPT)