Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  | Photo Gallery | Tournament Central

COLUMBIA, Ky. – Davenport picked up their first ever NAIA National Tournament win in Tuesday's opener as they defeated Grand View 7-1 but then fell 4-1 to host and No. 12 Lindsey Wilson as they saw the 2013 campaign come to a close. The Panthers sent out head coach Ronda Varnesdeel, who announced her retirement as season's end before the year began, with a 36-14-1 overall record.

Game 1 – W, 7-1 over Grand View (Iowa)

Sam Cole recovered from a slow opening inning and was dominating on the mound to lead the Panthers to their first ever NAIA National Tournament victory. Cole finished off the complete game by allowing just five hits and the one unearned run to improve to 24-8 on the season.

Davenport, which fell 6-2 to No. 12 Lindsey Wilson in the opening game on Monday, fell behind 1-0 after one but posted four of their own in the top of the third and it was all Cole needed to back her up. Debra Burton and Carli SanMillan each picked up RBI singles and Ashleigh Blovsky continued her solid play at the plate bringing home a pair of Panthers to give DU a 4-1 lead.

The Panthers added to their lead in the sixth when Melissa Covert singled home Karli Myers who doubled off the left-field wall in front of her. The scoring was finished in the seventh when Alexis Powell laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that went for a single and RBI scoring KC Dunne and then Lindsey Allen picked up an RBI groundout scoring Bri Elliott.

The win advanced DU to the loser's bracket final where they would meet Lindsey Wilson for a chance to play in the title game on Wednesday.

Game 2 – L, 1-4 to No. 12 Lindsey Wilson

With their season on the line for the second straight game, Davenport got off to a great start as they scored the first run of the game in the fourth inning when Lindsey Allen reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error by LWC scored Katie Creighton from second base who was running for Carli SanMillan who singled to lead off the inning.

The lead was short lived however as the Blue Raiders tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as the leadoff batter hit a solo shot off DU starter Sam Cole. LWC added to its lead in the fifth when they got a pair of runs on a 2-out triple in which there was also a throwing error back to the infield which scored the batter. The Blue Raiders finished the scoring with a solo homerun in the sixth as they held the DU bats in check in the final inning.

DU did manage one more serious threat as they loaded the bases in the top of the sixth but the Mid-South Pitcher of the Year Jordan Hood entered to strikeout the final DU batter.

Cole took the loss on the mound to finish her brilliant career with a 24-9 record in 2013. The senior allowed four runs (3 earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out six.

Davenport concludes their 2013 season with a 36-14-1 record.

Post-Game Notes

Davenport picked up its first ever win in the NAiA National Tournament with a 7-1 win over Grand View in the opener…The game against the Vikings was the first ever meeting between the two schools…Sam Cole finishes her career with a record of 86-38…Amber Getty set a single season record for batting average as she finished at .442 (37 points higher than Heather Brusokas in 2010)...Getty also set single season record for slugging % (.812) and tied for OB% (.488)...Head coach Ronda Varnesdeel finishes her DU career with a mark of 186-87-2 and her 10 year career between Aquinas and Davenport with a mark of 354-175-2