CALEDONIA, Mich. - The frigid weather did not have any effect on the bats Saturday afternoon (Apr. 7) as Davenport beat Grand Valley State, 14-12, in the first-ever meeting between the neighboring schools. Both teams were tied for second in the GLIAC entering the contest as DU improves to 16-11 overall and 6-3 in the conference. The Lakers, despite 20 hits, fall to 16-12 overall and 5-4 in the league.
Davenport and Grand Valley each hammered the ball early and neither starting pitcher made it out of the fourth inning. Ryan Arnold entered the game with a 5-0 record and ERA under 3.00, but the Panthers chased him in the fourth inning. He went 3.1 innings and allowed nine hits, nine earned runs and five walks.
Justin Palmbos took the ball for Davenport and lasted into the fourth inning but did not record an out. He finished with four innings pitched allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs. He did have five strikeouts and just one walk.
Neither starting pitcher was involved in the decision as the game was tied at 9 heading into the bottom of the fifth. Davenport took a 10-9 lead off Jake Mason in the inning and then neither team would score again until the bottom of the eighth. The Panthers took full advantage of two errors to score four runs. Brendan Nearing entered the game in the bottom of the eighth as Mason was hit in the back by a throw coming down to second at the end of warm ups between innings.
Davenport led 14-9 needing just three outs to get the series-opening win.
Pete Zeimis who took over for Palmbos in the fifth fared very well until he ran out of gas in the ninth. Zeimis got the win (2-1) going 4.1 innings in relief and struck out seven with no walks.
Krystien Johnson-Battilana inherited runners on first and second after the Lakers plated three runs. He got Nate Chase to pop into an infield fly for the second out and then recorded his first career save as Ricky Clark flied out to deep left center to end the game,
Both teams combined to record 31 hits as DU yielded a season-high 20 hits to the Lakers. The Panthers scored in double digits for the 11th time this season and scored runs in each of the first five innings.
Anthony DiPonio hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning, his fourth of the season, and led the team with three RBI.
Zac Wilson went 2-for-5 with his 11th double of the season and the 100th RBI of his career on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning.
Alex Huard collected two hits in four at-bats including his second triple of the season.
Austin Lansky reached base all five times with two hits, two walks and an error.
Jacob Buchberger drove in two runs and walked twice.
Nolan Bryant collected two hits while also scoring twice and walking twice.
Brian Sobieski drew three walks to tie a career-high. The two teams will continue their weekend series with a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
