Game 1 Score: Davenport 13, Aquinas 3
WP: Muprhy (4-2), LP: Foster (0-1), Save: Butzer (4)
Game 2 Score: Davenport 3, Aquinas 2
WP: Holt (2-0), LP: Alarcon (1-2), Save: Ort (1)
Records: DU (20-12, 7-2 WHAC), AQ (10-9, 3-3 WHAC)
Next DU event: Saturday, April 5 – vs. Indiana Tech – DH (Farmers Athletic Complex) – 1 p.m.
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Davenport baseball team had to settle with a split against its crosstown rivals Aquinas Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers tallied a season-high 21 hits and used three Saint errors to win game one by the mercy rule 13-3, but the rhythm had turned over to Aquinas in evening cap as the Saints took advantage of four hits and one Panther error to rally and win game two 3-2.
 
Davenport finishes the day with a record of 20-12 overall, 8-3 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference and will welcome Indiana Tech for a four-game weekend series starting Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1 – Davenport 13, Aquinas 3 (8 Innings – Mercy)
The Panthers scored all the runs they needed to take game one in their opening frame. Saint starting pitcher David Foster (0-1) struggled right from the start by walking leadoff hitter Cody Greear and committed a throwing error on Derek Dennis' base hit to allow both runners to move into scoring position. Zac Wilson's groundout brought in the first run of the game and Brendan Bender followed with an RBI single to left.
 
After Jordan Zylstra's two-bagger set up runners on second and third again, Zack Sardellitti copied off the left fielder with a two-run double to right, giving Davenport a 4-0 lead.
 
Wilson closed the book on game one with three hits including one of four Panther doubles. He also drove in four runs.
 
Davenport starter Corey Murphy (4-2) surrendered only two earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks in five innings. Ryan Butzer earned his fourth save of the season after tossing three shutout innings of relief.
 
Game 2 – Aquinas 3, Davenport 2
Davenport got on the board first in the second inning. Jordan Schumann drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Eric Cummings two-out single to center. After a passed ball moved Cummings to second, Connor Seymour hit a single to left field but was caught trying to stretch it into a double. But it was during the play that Saints shortstop Brad Slis and third baseman Greg Baranyai blocked Cummings path on the turn to third and was called for interference, allowing the Panther to score the second run despite the third out was called before.
 
Anthony Alarcon (1-2) was backed by solid defense until the fifth inning, when the Saints set up two runners in scoring position to have Brendan Penny tie the game with a two-run single to left. Aquinas moved ahead 3-2 on leadoff hitter Kyle Orlowski's RBI single to left.
 
The Panthers had opportunitys to tie the game in the final three innings. Cummings opened the fifth with a single and advanced to second on a poor throw to first. Seymour moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt but was stranded there after reliever Kaleb Ort escaped with a strikeout and a groundout.
 
DU had runners at the corners after Wilson and Bender led off with back-to-back singles up the middle. Zylstra attempted to squeeze in the tying run with a bunt but Wilson was inches short from touching home plate. The Saints escaped the threat with a groundout and a lineout.
 
Cummings started another rally in the seventh with a walk and reached third on a Seymour's bunt and Dennis' two-out single. The Saints locked up the win when left fielder Taylor Pawlanta made a diving catch in foul territory.
 
Baseball Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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