Box Score
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A day after defeating NCAA D1 Western Michigan, the Panthers topped it with their first no-hitter in school history as Davenport topped Goshen College 11-0. DU senior Brandon Romero threw the no-no to earn his 3rd win of the year while striking out a school record 12 batters. Davenport is now 9-13 on the year with WHAC play scheduled to start on Saturday at Siena Heights.
The Panthers got a big boost of confidence after a big 6-5 win yesterday over the Broncos and that carried into today's game with the Maple Leafs of Goshen College. Brandon Romero (Hart, Mich.) was dominating on the mound as he allowed only three runners in the seven innings with one coming on an error and the other two via walks.
DU got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second after Derrick Gentile (Sturgis, Mich.) led off the inning with a triple. After Dan Brown (Bay City, Mich.) walked, Joe Hill (Tecumseh, Mich.) then brought Gentile home for the 1-0 lead. Brown would score later in the inning to put the Panthers up 2-0.
The lead would continue to grow as Davenport put up one more in the third, two in the fourth and then finished it with six in the bottom of the fifth.
Highlighting the offense for the Panthers were homeruns from Rob Bolster (Blissfield, Mich.) and Austin Licon (Rockford, Ill.). Licon's was a solo shot in the bottom of the third while Bolster's was a two run blast in the six run 5th.
Eight different Panthers reach base on hits with Joe Hill going 3/3 with 4 RBI and Rob Bolster finishing 2/4 with 3 RBI. Dan Brown was solid as well as the junior was 2/2 with a walk and three runs scored.
On the mound, Brandon Romero was solid from start to finish as the senior never allowed a base-runner past first-base and struck out the side twice in the seven innings. Romero's 12 strikeouts broke the school record held by fellow senior Tucker Gernhard (Stafford, Va.) who chalked up 11 on March 21 of 2009 against Ohio Northern.
Davenport (9-13) will open up WHAC play on Saturday when they travel to Adrian for a double-header with Siena Heights University. The Panthers will then host the Saints on Monday at East Kentwood HS beginning with the first game at 1:00 PM.
