GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After playing their first 22 games away from home, the Davenport baseball team was glad to return to The Farm earlier this week. The team tangled with Parkside on Monday and split a doubleheader. They turned around on Tuesday and had their best overall performance of the season in a 16-4 win over Grand Valley State. The Panthers are currently 8-17 overall and 2-3 in the GLIAC and need to start making a move if they want to three-peat as conference champions. 

Player Notes: 
Caleb Anspaugh

• The catcher has seen a surge in his offense over the past 10 games and collected a season-high three hits including his first home run of the season in the win over Grand Valley State. Anspaugh drove in three runs against the Lakers and was just one triple shy of the cycle.
• Currently ranks sixth in the GLIAC and tied for second on the team with six stolen bases. Over the last 10 games, hitting .343 (12-35) with six runs scored, three doubles, and a team-leading 12 RBI.

Cade Kontny

• The transfer from Spring Arbor has made himself at home in a Panther uniform. He currently has the third-lowest earned run average on the team (3.00). He is 2-0 in six appearances and allowed just nine hits in 12 innings.
• In his last six innings, has not allowed a run and opponents are hitting just .143 against him with no extra-base hits.
• Picked up his second win of the season against Grand Valley State. Tossed a season-high 3.2 innings in relief and allowed three hits with a walk and strikeout.

Ben Mets

• Ranks first among regulars on the team with a .374 batting average. Ranks eighth in the GLIAC in batting average and is also fourth in total bases (47).
• Ranks first in the GLIAC in hits (34) and second in the GLIAC with 16 walks.
• Mets has been lethal against righties batting .394 with 26 hits in 66 at-bats. He has 10 multi-hit games this season including two four-hit contests including Grand Valley State on Tuesday going 4-for-5 with a season-high four RBI.

Scouting the Opponent:
Purdue Northwest (5-13, 1-3 GLIAC)
Series Record: Davenport leads 17-2
Last Meeting: 5/15/22 - Davenport won 2-1 in the GLIAC Tournament championship game
About the Pride:
Purdue Northwest is tied for fifth in the GLIAC alongside Parkside at 1-3. The Pride had a magical run in the GLIAC Tournament last season. They beat Davenport 10-8 in the first game of the tournament and then defeated Grand Valley State and Wayne State in advance to the finals. DU however got the best of the championship series with a 6-4 and 2-1 win for their second straight GLIAC Tournament crown.

Purdue Northwest is fresh off a 7-2 victory in game two of a doubleheader on Monday against Grand Valley State. Sam Ochoa improved to 1-0 on the mound for the Pride going five innings and allowing three hits and two runs. He walked and struck out three Lakers in a 71-pitch outing. Sam Carlisle finished up the final four innings and allowed three hits and no runs with no walks and four strikeouts. Ray Hilbrich and Tyler Nelson each had a double and Nelson scored a pair of runs. Jax Kalemba went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the cleanup spot.

Luke Montgomery leads the team with a .400 batting average (22-55) and has scored 15 runs. He is also 8-of-9 in stolen bases and has a .492 on-base percentage. Beldon Glasgow leads the team in RBI with 14.

Saginaw Valley State (10-12, 2-3 GLIAC)
Series Record: Davenport leads 11-8
Last Meeting: 5/13/22 - Davenport won 12-8 in the GLIAC Tournament
About the Cardinals:
Saginaw Valley State and Davenport share third place in the GLIAC with identical 2-3 records. The Cardinals have posted a 2-5 road record this season. They will be taking on Parkside on Saturday in Caledonia before the doubleheader with the Panthers on Sunday. SVSU enters the weekend with a three-game losing streak with two losses to Grand Valley State and one against league-leading Wayne State.

The last time out was an 11-2 loss to the Warriors in Detroit on Tuesday. The Cardinals finished with eight hits as Tucker Roe was the lone Cardinal with a multiple-hit game going 2-for-2 with a double and walk. 

The Cardinals are batting .271 as a team with a team earned run average of 5.65. Colin Cornwell is leading the team with a .355 batting average and ranks second in the conference with 20 RBI. Hunter Merillat has been exceptional on the mound this season with a 3-0 record in four starts. He has pitched 25.2 innings and allowed 13 hits with a 1.05 ERA. Merillat currently has the best ERA in the GLIAC.

Live Coverage:
Friday, March 31 vs. Purdue Northwest (1 PM - DH) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats
Sunday, April 2 vs. Saginaw Valley State (12 PM - DH) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats