Box Score  | Photo Gallery | Varnesdeel Audio Interview | Tournament Central

COLUMBIA, Ky. – With the score tied in the fifth inning, Davenport allowed four unearned runs and the host Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders added another in the sixth to pick up a 6-2 win in the opening game of the 2013 NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. The Panthers, now 35-13-1 on the season, fall into the consolation bracket where they will meet either Grand View (Iowa) or Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) in an elimination game on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CST.

Making their second ever national tournament appearance, DU got off to a great start defensively as WHAC Pitcher of the Year Sam Cole shut down the No. 12 ranked Blue Raiders for the first two innings. A solo homerun from LWC in the third was the only score until the bottom of the fourth when Ashleigh Blovsky singled home KC Dunne to tie the game. Blovsky's hit was one of three on the day for the sophomore who also picked up her ninth homerun in the sixth.

With two outs in the top of the fifth, Davenport looked to get out of the inning with a groundout, but an error proved to be very costly as the errant throw allowed the Raiders to take a 2-1 lead and then two batters later, LWC put some distance between them and the Panthers with a 3-run homer to left center to build a 5-1 lead.

Lindsey Wilson added a single run in the sixth inning and other than Blovsky's solo shot in the sixth, the Davenport offense never really got on track as they finished with just four hits on the day.

Sam Cole finished the game by allowing all six runs (only one earned) on six hits while striking out three batters. The loss sends the senior's record to 23-8 on the season.

Davenport will now await the loser of Auburn Montgomery and Grand View as they will play in the loser's bracket at 4 p.m. CST on Tuesday afternoon.  A win in that game would advance DU to the loser's bracket final at 7 p.m. later Tuesday night.

Post-Game Notes
The strikeout by Sam Cole in the second inning was her 163^rd of the season which breaks Karlee Despres' single season record of 162 set in 2012…Ashleigh Blovsky has raised her batting average 14 points since the start of the WHAC Tournament as she is now 11-21 in her last seven games…DU is still searching for their first win in the NAIA National Tournament as they fall to 0-4…Lindsey Wilson takes a 2-1 lead in the all-time series with the Panthers

Follow Davenport Athletics on: FACEBOOK | TWITTER | You Tube
Follow Davenport Softball on: FACEBOOK