BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – The Panther baseball team took the rubber game of a three-game set at Union to begin the season and bounced back after a one-run loss yesterday. Davenport won 8-2 behind five strong innings from Bryan Saucedo and the hitting of Travis Bolin who went 3-for-4 and was just a triple short of the cycle.

The Panthers scored three times in the first and second innings and then pitching kept them with a comfortable lead. Matt Priebe delivered the game's first run with a RBI single up the box and Bolin scored after leading off with a double. Brandon Larkin-Guilfoyle grounded out to second and Jeremy Vasquez scored from third after he reached on an error. Brandon Cable brought home the third run of the first on a groundout to short as Priebe scored.

Union got a run in the bottom of the first on a RBI groundout and then the Panthers went back to work in the second. Nolan Page was hit by a pitch and stole second putting himself into position for Connor Seymour to drive him home on a single to right. Bolin stepped up next and launched a two-run homer over the left field wall for a 6-1 lead. The Bulldogs went to the bullpen and Casey Whittle was replaced by Alex Fuller.

Davenport added to their lead with a run in the sixth as Seymour put a ball in play with two outs and it was booted allowing Cable to score after he reached on a single. DU scored their final run in the seventh against Bryan Mejia who replaced Fuller. Vasquez singled and took second on a wild pitch. Priebe grounded to first and Vasquez forced a bad throw as he scored on the play.
Saucedo picked up the win and allowed two hits and one run with three walks and seven strikeouts. Caleb Leach tossed two innings and did not allow a hit but surrendered an unearned run with three strikeouts. Alex Schuiling and Jonathan Cheshire worked the eighth and ninth respectively allowing no hits.