GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Davenport's eighth-ranked baseball team opened the program's first Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference title defense Wednesday with a doubleheader victory over crosstown rival Aquinas at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
 
The two matchups, which featured Davenport as the 'visitors' in its own ballpark, were highlighted with two different results as the Panthers had to come from behind in the ninth inning to win the league opener 3-2 while in the evening matchup the bats came alive and knocked out the Saints 13-3.
 
Brandon Cable had a three-hit, five RBI afternoon highlighted by a runaway two-run shot to right center in game two, Brendan Bender led the entire offense tallying five hits along with a pair of runs driven in.
 
Game 1 – Davenport 3, Aquinas 2
While the Saints (3-8, 0-2 WHAC) jumped up from 2-0 in the fifth, starting pitcher Nick Eely (0-2) held the Panthers bats in check until the late innings.
 
Davenport's (16-2, 2-0 WHAC) sliced the deficit in half in the seventh inning when Bender lead off with a double to left center, pinch-runner Tim Steffes moved over to third on Matt Priebe's fly out to right and scored on Zack Sardellitti's groundout to third.
 
The Panthers rally in the ninth began with Dre Celestijn drawing a leadoff walk, pinch-runner Cam Cooper scored the tying run on three consecutive singles by the heart of DU's order. The pinch-hitting Cable forced in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk. The Panthers could have done more damage but were the victim of a rare triple play.
 
Corey Murphy tossed five innings allowing the two runs along with eight hits and a walk. He did strike out four. Alex Schuiling collected his fourth win of the season after throwing three shutout innings of relief and Jonathan Cheshire locked up the win easily to earn his fifth save of the year.
 
Game 2 – Davenport 13, Aquinas 3
Davenport played small ball to score the contest's first run in the second inning. Zylstra led off with a single through the left side and two sacrifices bunts by Connor Seymour and Nolan Wilson helped bring the run across.
 
After the Saints tied the game one-run apiece in their half of the inning, the Panthers regained the lead in the third when Cody Greear opened with a single, advanced to second on Celestijn's groundout and scored on Bender's single through the right side.
 
Davenport added on to the lead in the fourth inning. Seymour led off with a walk and Cable sent a pitch to the deepest part of the yard in right center for a two-run home run. The Panthers took a 5-1 lead when Cooper singled and scored on two wild pitches by Saints' starting pitcher Brendan Penny (0-1).
 
The Panthers would drive in two more runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and seven innings to complete the 13-3 win.
 
Jerry Ferris (3-0) carried the Panthers to the fifth inning despite running into some situations. He allowed only two runs on eight hits but did strike out nine before handing the ball over to Schuiling. The southpaw would allow one run, four hits and a walk in two innings before turning it over to Ryan Butzer, who sealed the win despite allowing a walk in the seventh.

Baseball/Softball Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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