Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

KENTWOOD, Mich. – The Davenport baseball team earned a 3-1 series win today versus perennial WHAC power Madonna.  The Panthers hosted and honored American Veterans today and then won game one 9-5, but lost game two 14-6.  The series win was one of the biggest in the history of the Panther baseball program.

Game One

The Panther baseball team set a pattern for themselves in their series versus the Crusaders of Madonna, as they would once again fall behind and rally back to earn a victory.  Davenport actually jumped out ahead of the Crusaders after the first inning of game one when they scored two runs in the first inning.  However by the time they came to bat in the seventh inning, they trailed Madonna 4-3.  DU would take control of the game in their next three at-bats scoring one run in the seventh, three in the eight, and two more in the ninth on their way to a 9-5 victory.

Davenport was led offensively by Cam Cooper, Austin Licon, and Derrick Gentile game one.  Licon went 2 for 4 at the plate and scored a run.  Cooper would go 2 for 6 from the plate, scored a run, and drove in a RBI.  Both of Cooper's hits were for extra bases as he drove a ball for a double and a solo homerun.  Gentile was also 2 for 4 at the plate with a run scored, and three RBI that came on a three run homerun in the eighth inning to put DU on top for good.

The Panthers got a quality start from senior Drew Kennedy, who would go five strong innings.  Overall Kennedy would give up six hits, two runs, walk one, and strike out three.  However, it would be Corey Anderson who would earn the win pitching in relief of Kennedy.  Anderson went four innings, gave up two hits, three runs (two earned), no walks, and struck out three.  The win was the first of the red-shirt junior's career who is usually assigned the job of closing out games for the Panthers.

Game Two

Panther starter Cory Hammond was moving along quickly in game two for DU, until he left the game with an undisclosed injury after three and two-thirds innings pitched.  Hammond had given up a single run to the Crusaders into the fourth inning as he quickly pitched Madonna into two outs in the inning.  However he left the game with two runners left on base and that is when Madonna got going.  Hammond's final line would read three and two-thirds innings pitched, giving up five hits, three runs, no walks, while striking out two. 

The Panthers then used a majority of their bullpen to finish out the game, but they would struggle to contain the Crusaders bats that had been held in check for most of the four game weekend series.  Ryan Butzer, Jarrett Luyk, Zach Liebman, Ryan Koop, and Colten Bredeweg would all contribute to the pitching duties the rest of the way.  Jarrett Luyk would take the loss after going one inning, giving up one hit, two runs, and a walk.  Unfortunately for Luyk the lone hit he gave up was a two run homerun in the fifth inning.

Offensively the Panther bats were actively early in game two, as they would score once in each of the first three innings.  Jotham Woo was a productive member of the Panther squad in game two as he went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.  Brandon Bongard and Austin Licon both contributed to the Panther offense as each would go deep in game two, the second on the weekend for Licon.  However the Panther offense was only able to produce eight hits and six runs which was not enough to match the 15 hits and 14 runs by Madonna.

Post-Game Quotes – Kevin Tidey

Thoughts on the series win – I was proud of the way the guys battled for the majority of the weekend.  We played from behind in all four games and in the first three we battled and earned the victories.  Disappointed we couldn't get the sweep, unlucky moment for Cory Hammond who had seemed to find a groove before getting hurt.


Post-Game Notes – The day two split pushes the Panthers to 27-14; 13-7 WHAC… The Panthers are now 4-11 all-time versus Madonna… The Panther game one win gave Madonna their first conference series loss since 2003… DU plays again Tuesday when they step out of conference to take on Calvin College at 3pm… Check out www.dupanthers.com to follow the Panthers all season long via LiveStats.


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