CALEDONIA, Mich. - The 21st win of the season for the Davenport baseball team featured offense galore as the Panthers beat Parkside 16-8 on Sunday afternoon at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. The Panthers have won seven in a row to get within one game of first place in the GLIAC standings behind Wayne State and they have scored double-digit runs in all seven of those wins. Davenport scored 16 runs in a game for the third time this season and it is a season-high in runs scored. DU wound up outscoring the Rangers 46-17 in the four-game sweep and improved to 17-1 all-time against Parkside.
The Panthers scored in each of the first five innings and led 9-0 after three innings.
Carter Troncin hit a two-run home run in the first inning. It was Troncin's sixth home run of the season to tie
Khale Showers for the team lead, but it was his first since March 24 in game two at Wayne State.
Gaetano Vallone had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and had a RBI double in the second inning to make it 4-0. Vallone was not done yet with a two-run scoring single in the third inning to give him four RBI in the first three innings.
Josh Robinson had a fantastic day at the plate as the designated hitter. He went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Robinson had a RBI double in the fourth inning to give DU a 10-2 lead and later in the fifth inning had a RBI triple to plate two runs for a 14-3 lead.
Coltrane Rubner since being inserted into the leadoff spot has thrived. He finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. Showers went 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
Tyler Mosher also drove in two runs with a double in the seventh inning to give DU a 16-7 lead.
DU finished with 17 hits including four doubles, two triples, and the Troncin home run. Daniel Llanas took the loss for Parkside and lasted just one inning. He allowed five hits and three earned runs.
Tyler McKinstry got his first win as a Panther getting the start and lasting five innings. He allowed seven hits and three earned runs with one walk and seven strikeouts.
The Panthers were able to bat .367 as a team in the four-game series with a 3.71 team ERA. Showers went 10-of-16 at the plate with seven runs scored and 10 RBI. Vallone went 9-of-15 and scored seven runs to go with three doubles and 10 RBI. Rubner scored 11 runs and went 8-of-15 at the plate and reached base at a .667 clip.
The Panthers will be taking on Grand Valley State next week in their quest for three consecutive GLIAC regular season championships. The Lakers will come to The Farm on Friday for a 4:00 PM game.
