Baseball Suffers Losses to Doane in Doubleheader

McPherson, Kan., (Feb. 24, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a non-conference series against Doane (Neb.), Monday afternoon, with games played in McPherson, Kan.  The Vikings dropped both games of the doubleheader.

Game one of the doubleheader started with early production from the plate for Missouri Valley.  Junior Centerfielder Mason Mitchell (Littleton, Colo.) led off with a single, while Senior Second Baseman Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) drew a walk.  The pair each stole one base, and Mitchell was driven home from third on a grounder by Junior Rightfielder Pablo Arnaud (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) to put the team in front, 1-0.  Doane answered back in the bottom half of the inning, stringing together a long rally.  Five hits and one MVC error allowed Doane to plate five runners, and move ahead, 5-1.  The Vikings threatened in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with two outs.  Senior Leftfielder Dale Bratz (Carstairs, Alberta) singled, while both Freshman Shortstop Rui Watanabe (Nagasaki, Japan) and Mitchell walked.  However, the three runners were left stranded to end the at-bat.  Doane tacked on another pair of runs in the bottom half of the second, and the two teams went scoreless in the third, including a pair of strikeouts from Sophomore Pitcher Trey Brakensiek (Wright City, Mo.) in the bottom of the third.  Doane rallied again in the fourth, bringing home four runs, then scored another five runs in the fifth.  Missouri Valley was unable to work back into the game, and fell by a final score of 16-7.

Arnaud led with two hits and one RBI, and Senior Third Baseman Connor Bell (San Diego, Calif.) added two hits.  Mitchel totaled one hit and one run scored.  

The second game started with a leadoff single from Arnaud in the top of the first inning, followed by a one-out walk from Junior Catcher Carter Kalin (Superior, Wisc.).  However, the pair were left stranded to end the scoring threat.  Doane produced three hits and one run in the bottom of the first, while Freshman Pitcher Rowan Gelder (Mississauga, Ontario) got out of the inning with a strikeout and a fielder's choice grounder to strand a pair of baserunners and keep it a 1-0 score.  The Vikings put runners on the bases in the top of the second inning, as Kaneko walked and Freshman Shortstop Sota Suzuki (Aichi, Japan) singled.  Senior First Baseman Joe Hedger (Logan, Iowa) bunted, but Kaneko was tagged out at home.  The next batter, Arnaud was hit, and MVC loaded the bases.  However, the runners were left on-base to end the scoring threat.  After a scoreless top of the third inning for Missouri Valley, Doane added to its lead with a sac-fly in the bottom of the third to sit in front, 2-0.  After Doane added one more run in the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings threatened again in the top of the fifth.  Bell doubled and Kalin was hit by a pitch.  Doane got out of the jam, and MVC stranded the pair of baserunners to end the at-bat.  The bottom half of the inning featured more offense for Doane, tacking on another four runs to hold a 7-0 lead.  Missouri Valley could not cut its deficit in the sixth, and stranded a pair of runners in the top of the seventh to fall by a final score of 7-0.

Arnaud, Bell, Junior Designated Hitter Tanner Duncan (Kennett, Mo.) and Suzuki each had one hit.

The losses drop Missouri Valley to 0-4, while Doane improves to 7-1.

Up next, the Viking baseball team plays another road doubleheader, Tuesday beginning at 12 p.m., at Ottawa (Kan.).

Game 1 Box Score-Click Here

Game 2 Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.