Doane Wins 17-16 in 10 Innings on Final Strike Homer

When you're down to your last strike in a championship game, most teams fold. Doane University decided to fly.

Trailing Concordia 13-11 in the bottom of the 9th inning on Monday, Tigers outfielder Jett Grossart crushed a pitch over the right field fence to tie the game. One inning later, Carter Roth slid across home plate on a throwing error, giving Doane its first lead of the entire game and a 17-16 victory in the GPAC Tournament Championship.

The four-hour thriller in Crete, Nebraska, featured 32 total runs, five home runs, and a crowd that never sat down. Doane erased four separate deficits, refusing to quit even when the odds screamed otherwise.

Grossart became the unlikely hero twice. After his clutch homer in the 9th, fans learned he'd also delivered a game-tying double in the 7th inning. His performance under pressure turned what looked like a certain loss into an instant classic.

Concordia's Bronx Lewis put on a show too, going 2-for-2 with two home runs. Opposing coaches respected his power so much they intentionally walked him four times. But in a game this wild, even dominance couldn't guarantee victory.

Why This Inspires

Championship games are supposed to teach us about perseverance, but this one actually delivered. Four times Doane fell behind. Four times they clawed back. Every deficit became a chance to prove that the scoreboard doesn't define the outcome until the final out.

That lesson resonates beyond baseball. The Tigers showed their community that being down doesn't mean being out. One swing can change everything if you refuse to give up.

Young athletes across Nebraska now have a real example of resilience, not the Hollywood version. Grossart didn't hit a grand slam in the first inning. He waited until the pressure maxed out, then delivered when it mattered most.

The celebration that erupted when Roth touched home plate wasn't just about a trophy. It was about a team that believed in itself when belief seemed foolish. That's the kind of story that sticks with people long after the champagne dries.