Site: Barbourville, Ky. (Carey Stadium)
Score: Union 13, Davenport 8
Records: UC (2-1), DU (0-1)
WP: King (1-0) LP: Butzer (0-1) Save: None
Next DU event: Saturday, February 8, 2013 – at Union (Barbourville, Ky.) – 1 p.m.
 
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – Jerry Ferris allowed only an unearned run in five innings of work in his Davenport debut but the bullpen couldn't back the starter as seven errors and an eight-run seventh inning handed the Panthers a 13-8 loss to host Union (Ky.) on a cold opening day Friday. EJ Grochowalski and newcomer Zac Wilson both had three hits on the day to lead the Panthers 14-hit afternoon. Both teams return to Carey Stadium for the middle game of the three-game series Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
In addition to the 66 pitches thrown, Ferris struck out six batters while conceding three hits and two walks. Along with his hitting duties, junior transfer Brendan Bender took over for Ferris and despite retiring the sixth in order, the junior ran into trouble in the seventh that saw his outing on the mound end with three runs on a hit and three walks. Ryan Butzer (0-1) suffered the loss after being responsible for three runs, one unearned.
 
Bender also finished the day with two hits and a pair of RBI. Jordan Zylstra and Zack Sardellitti both had a pair of singles in their Panther debut.
 
After being retired in order in the opening frame, the Panthers bats came alive in the second that produced the first run of the game. Grochowalski led off with a single to center and back-to-back one-out base hits by Sardellitti and Zylstra allowed the first baseman to break the ice.
 
Davenport added two more runs in the fourth using three singles from Zylstra, Eric Cummings and Wilson, a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Schumann, a fielding error and a passed ball.
 
Trailing 4-1in the seventh, the Bulldogs took advantage of two Panther errors, seven walks and two hits to score eight runs.
 
The Panthers got four of the runs back in the eighth to bring the deficit to one. Pinch-hitter Ryan Manning started the rally off with a one-out single to short, Cam Cooper followed reaching on a fielding error and single by Wilson loaded the bases. Bender and Grochowalski brought the first two runs home with singles and Derek Dennis sent a pitch to right field deep enough for Wilson to score and Sardellitti singled to right to bring Bender home for the fourth run.
 
The Bulldogs gained some more breathing room in the home half of the eighth using a two-run double and two errors.
 
Post-Game Notes
Davenport is 2-3 on Opening Day…The Panthers fall to 1-4 in the all-time series with Union…After going hitless, Derek Dennis was not able to picked up the four-game hitting streak he started at the end of last season…The seven errors Davenport committed is the second-most in program history, one shy from the record at Grace College on April 17, 2009.
 
Baseball Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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