Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  | Photo Gallery | Tidey Interview
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Davenport baseball team closed out its four-game Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference series against Northwestern Ohio Saturday splitting a doubleheader. Corey Sessions fired a two-hit eight shutout inning performance to lead the Panthers to a 4-0 victory in game one, but the Racers were able to hold off a late comeback to salvage game two 7-5.
 
Head coach Kevin Tidey made a couple of changes to his lineup card Saturday and it proved to have worked. Cam Cooper moved from the ninth spot to the leadoff role and produced a four-hit day, Carlos Berroa elevated to the second spot after hitting fifth and collected three hits, and Jordan Schumann dropped from the leadoff role to the sixth slot and tallied three hits including a double.
 
History was also made Saturday as Edward Grochowalski Jr. blasted the Farmers Athletic Complex's first home run in game one.
 
Game One
It was all about Sessions (2-1) in the opening game. Although he hit the leadoff hitter on the very first pitch, the freshman quickly settled down and relied on a very stable defense, retiring 17 of the next 19 batters.
 
The Panthers (14-9, 3-3 WHAC) scored the run they needed in the third inning, Eric Cummings led off this a triple to right center and Tyler Berger sent a pitch to right field deep enough for Cummings to easily score.
 
Davenport collected two of the three insurance runs in the seventh inning. Schumann opened the frame with a double through the right side, and after Berger got on with a one-out single to put the runners on the corners, Carey Ross followed with a RBI double to right center and Cooper brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
 
With no help from the calm wind, Grochowalski took the honor of the ballpark's first shot to left field in the eighth.
 
Game Two
It was a game of cat-and-mouse in game two. Although he got out of a one-out single in the first, Corey Murphy (1-1) got into a jam in the second and third inning. When the Racers (10-12, 4-4 WHAC) had a runner at third on a one-out triple, they got on the board with a RBI single to shortstop, and a throwing error allowed the batter-runner to move to scoring position. Following the error, the Racers hit a single to right field but a big throw by Jotham Woo to the catcher Allen was in time to prevent the second run.
 
Murphy got into trouble again when three RBI singles gave the Racers a 4-0 lead in the third. Ryan Butzer took over for Murphy and allowed two earned runs on six hits in 3.1 innings.
 
The Panthers tried to answer back but the Racers would continue to maintain their lead throughout the seven-inning contest.
 
Davenport is slated to play Siena Heights Tuesday in a makeup game from March 16-17 due to weather conditions. First pitch is to be determined.
 
Follow Davenport Athletics on: FACEBOOK | TWITTER | You Tube
 
Follow Davenport Baseball on: FACEBOOK | TWITTER