Feb. 22, 2010

Box Score

LAKE WALES, Fla. - Davenport finished with 16 hits while giving up only eight but it took two extra innings today to knock off host Warner University 9-7. The win lifts DU to 2-3 on the year as they will take on Southeastern University on Wednesday in Lakeland.

Playing their first game since a four-game series in California, the Panthers fell behind early and then overcame a sluggish 10th inning bullpen to defeat Warner 9-7 in 11 innings.

Jake Loomans (Grandville, Mich.) got the scoring started in the top of the second when he drove home Matt McNeil (St. Clair Shores, Mich.). DU would get three hits in the inning but they stranded three as well leading only 1-0 headed to the bottom half.

Warner then jumped on DU starter Brandon Romero (Hart, Mich.) as they posted four runs on four hits. The Panthers then had to claw their way back in and they started with two runs in the 4th when Matt Collins (Akron, Ohio) drove home two runs.

Warner put up one run in the 5th to take a 5-3 lead midway through the game but DU responded to tie the game in the top of the 7th when Loomans singled home both McNeil and Austin Licon (Rockford, Ill.).

The pitching then became a strong point for both teams as the score remained tied until the top of the 10th when Davenport took a 7-5 lead on a 2-run homerun by Travis Laver (Holland, Mich.). When it looked as if DU would escape with the 2-run win, the host team came back with two runs of their own to send it into an 11th inning.

The Davenport bats were up to the challenge again as Derrick Gentile (Sturgis, Mich.) brought home Licon for the eventual game winning run. Matt McNeil then scored an insurance run on a Joe Hill (Tecumseh, Mich.) sac fly.

Gordon Powers (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) worked the bottom half for his first victory as a Panther.

Davenport will now have Tuesday off before traveling over to Lakeland to face Southeastern University. The game will be covered live on the DAN beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 PM.