Softball: Douglas splits doubleheader with Manogue

The Douglas softball team emerged from a huge test with passing grades this week.

The Lady Tigers split a doubleheader against Manogue in Reno Wednesday afternoon to take a two games to one series win against the Miners for the series.

Douglas fell 3-2 in the first game but came back to win the second game 2-1. The Tigers' lineup, considered one of the deepest in the region, rapped out 19 hits in the twinbill against one of the best pitchers in the region, Megan Dortch.

"We're really excited to come away with two wins in that series," Douglas coach Andy Mitchell said. "We didn't play our best, but our pitchers did a great job and the defense was strong.

"Both games were pretty fun to watch."

Manogue took an early 3-0 lead in the first game with a three-run second.

Douglas loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and Katrina Morgan drove Nikki Chavez home with a ground ball in the infield to cut the score to 3-1. Douglas didn't manage any more runs in the frame but staged a final comeback in the top of the seventh.

Morgan hit a run-scoring double to bring Maddy Gilbert home and put herself in scoring position for the potential tying run, but Douglas couldn't bring her in from there as Manogue held on for the win.

Dortch struck out five and walked one to pick up the win. Chelsea Fent suffered her first varsity loss, despite striking out three, walking one and allowing just two earned runs while scattering seven hits over seven innings.

Emily Weaver went 3-for-4 in the game, Chavez was 2-for-3 and Gilbert, Brenna White, Becca Trute and Naomi Roberts each added a hit.

In Game 2, White hit a one-run single to give Douglas a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth and Amanda Caras extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth with a single that scored White.

Manogue cut the lead in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers held on from there.

Kalee Duryee picked up the win in the circle, striking out three and walking none. Dorth was the hard-luck loser, striking out seven and walking one.

White finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, Weaver and Morgan each went 2-for-4 and Trute, Roberts and Caras each collected a hit.

Douglas improved to 8-4 overall and 7-2 in league play. The Tigers will face Wooster in a series next week.