GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - It was a very intense day on the softball diamond for the Davenport Panthers as they dropped a 3-2 decision in the first game of the day to Rio Grande and then rebounded with a 5-0 win over Olivet Nazarene. The Panthers had their chances against the RedStorm during the noon contest in game 3 of the NAIA Opening Round at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. They left 10 runners on base including the bases loaded in the first and second inning. After the narrow loss, sophomore
Mallory Teunissen tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts in the win over the Tigers to stave off elimination and set themselves up with a rematch against Rio Grande on Wednesday. Davenport will need to win twice in order to advance to the NAIA Softball World Series in Clermont, Fla.
Game 3 of Opening Round (Tuesday, May 16 at 12 p.m.)
Final Score: #8 Davenport-2 | #17 Rio Grande-3
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Records: DU 44-8 | URG 47-8
INSIDE THE BOX
Lauren French (0-for-2, 2 BB, SB)
McKenzie Rowe (0-for-2, BB, SB)
Alyssa Eastman (1-for-3, HBP)
Lindsay Tasma (R, BB)
Briana Allen (1-for-2, R, BB)
Haley Obetts (1-for-3, RBI)
Emily Maves (3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
Mallory Teunissen (3.1 IP, H, 5 K)
Rio Grande got the board first with a run in the top of the second inning. MacKenzie Nichols drew a one-out walk and Kelly Fuchs pinch ran. Maves had a wild pitch to move Fuchs to second and then a bunt moved her over to third with two outs. Kari Jenkins delivered a RBI single off the handle of the bat which just reached the outfield over the glove of
Lindsay Tasma at third. The Panthers struck out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first and then in the second again loaded the bags with one out. Jenna Jones buckled down and got a strikeout and weak groundout to second to end the inning. The RedStorm added two runs in the top of the fourth to increase their lead to 3-0. Cheyenne Hamaker hit a home run to left just over the fence to lead off the inning and Michaela Criner doubled with two outs and Alex Stevens followed with a RBI single to shallow right-center. Teunissen came into the game in the circle and got the final out for the Panthers on a strikeout. Davenport scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to cut it to 3-2. Tasma drew a one-out walk and Allen singled to shallow center for the team's first hit of the contest against Jones. Obetts then had a RBI single to center scoring Tasma and both runners moved up on the throw to the plate. The second run came with two outs as Jones was cited for an illegal pitch. DU had the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position before a strikeout ended the inning. Eastman singled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but Jones got a groundout to shortstop to end the game.
Game 5 of Opening Round (Tuesday, May 16 at 6 p.m.)
Final Score: #8 Davenport-5 | Olivet Nazarene-0
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Records: DU 45-8 | ONU 32-14
INSIDE THE BOX
Teunissen (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 102 Pitches)
Tasma (3-for-4, 2B, RBI)
Alexa Flores (1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB)
Eastman (1-for-3, R, 2-run HR)
Obetts (1-for-4, RBI)
Teunissen gave up just one extra-base hit and it came in the first at-bat as Emily Carstens hit a double to the left-center gap. Carstens moved to third on a groundout but was stranded after a weak grounder back to Teunissen and a fly ball to right field. No other runner reached third for the rest of the game as Teunissen got a pair of double plays in the third and sixth innings against the Tigers. The Panthers scored their first two runs off miscues by Olivet Nazarene. They scored single runs in the second and fifth innings and then added another run in the sixth and Eastman hit a two-run homer in the seventh to salt it away.
Up Next
Davenport has a date with Rio Grande at noon tomorrow needing a pair of wins to advance to the NAIA Softball World Series. The two teams have split a pair of games this season as DU won 5-2 in the regular season on March 10 on a neutral field. DU is no stranger to sweeping two as they did it against UM-Dearborn to secure a share of the WHAC regular season title and also defeated Madonna twice on the final day of the WHAC Tournament.
