HARROGATE, Tenn. - Alexis Koza hit a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored Gabby Palazzolo and the Davenport University softball team walked it off, 2-1, over Ohio Dominican in the 2021 season opener. However, the Panthers fell to No. 20 Lincoln Memorial in the nightcap, 10-2, in six innings.

In the extra-inning win over Ohio Dominican (0-2), Ellie Muilenburg pitched a complete-game gem with a career high 12 strikeouts, three walks and only three hits allowed in eight innings pitched, which tied her personal best. Davenport's other run came in the fifth when Palazzolo brought in Emma Miller with a single right back up the middle.

For the day's second game, Lincoln Memorial (5-0) scored four runs in the first inning, one in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the sixth to win it with the run rule. Davenport's two runs came in the third when Lindsay Goodman singled in both Rachel Griffin and Rylie Kalina.

In the circle, Miller suffered the loss as she surrendered five earned runs on six hits with a punchout in three and a third frames of work. In relief, Elise Magnus made her first career appearance with two and a third innings pitched, five runs given up, three earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and three free passes.

Next up, Davenport will face the same two teams on Sunday with the Ohio Dominican first pitch set for 10 a.m. and Lincoln Memorial's right after at noon.

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler