GRAYSLAKE, Ill. - The Davenport baseball team played their third extra-inning game of the season on Sunday and are now 1-2 in those games after a 6-5 defeat against Parkside in 11 innings to conclude the weekend series. DU is now 14-26 overall and 9-11 in the GLIAC and in fourth place.
The Panthers could not complete the four-game weekend sweep and even led 4-2 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Things began to unravel for
Tyler Kapa who was looking for his third save of the season. Instead poor command of the strike zone led to both runs. Koto Sato led off with a single and then Peter Fusek was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and then another wild pitch allowed Sato to score and make it 4-3. After a strikeout for the first out, Fusek scored on the third wild pitch of the inning to tie the game and send it into extras.
Davenport took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 11th inning as
Xander Reisbig led off with a single.
Carson Price reached on a fielder's choice and
Tyler Mosher bunted him into scoring position with two outs. Price took third on a passed ball and then
Logan Todd delivered a clutch RBI single to right. The Rangers were facing
Ian Dixon who entered in the 10th inning and got three outs around a walk. Fusek walked to start the bottom of the 11th and then a critical error on a bunt attempt allowed Angel Rades to move all the way to third and Fusek scored to tie the game. One batter later it was Camden Kearney with the winning RBI single to center for the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Austin VanderMarkt got the start for DU and lasted 4.2 innings. He allowed just one run with two walks and three strikeouts.
Jack Snow,
Cade Kontny, and
Brayden Flanders all threw quality relief innings allowing no earned runs heading into the ninth. Leo Berger got the start for Parkside and went five innings with two runs allowed and five strikeouts. Fusek went the last 1.2 innings to get the win in relief for Parkside. Todd drove in three runs for the Panthers to lead the team. Reisbig went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Price also collected two hits including a double in five at-bats.
The Panthers are back home on Wednesday when they face Grand Valley State at 6 PM. It will be the first meeting this season between the teams. DU owns a 17-9 edge in the all-time series against the Lakers.
