ADRIAN, Mich. – Trailing by two runs, the Davenport baseball team rallied with a five-run fifth inning to claim a 11-3 win over the Panthers crosstown rival Cornerstone in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament opening round at Siena Heights' Baseball Diamond Monday.
 
The Panthers will play the winner of the following matchup between Madonna and Indiana Tech Tuesday at 1 p.m.
 
Despite the struggling first inning in which two defensive errors allowed three runs across, Corbin Clouse (4-1) would settle in and retire 13 straight before allowing a walk in the sixth. The left-hander finished the day scattering one hit and three walks while fanning five. Ryan Butzer, Alex Schuiling and Jonathan Cheshire combined for 3 2/3 shutout innings the rest of the way.
 
Davenport's (45-8) rally in the fifth began with Brendan Bender getting hit by the pitch. He advanced to third on Zack Sardellitti's double to right center. Bender would score on a wild pitch and Connor Seymour's sacrifice fly brought in courtesy runner Matt Hoge for the tying run.
 
The Panthers would take a 6-3 lead on three straight RBI singles by Brandon Cable, Cam Cooper and Cody Greear.
 
More runs came in the eighth when the Panthers tallied five. Bender drew a walk and four consecutive hits including a double by Seymour, drove in four and a sacrifice fly hit by Cable gave Davenport an 11-3 lead.
 
Baseball Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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