CALEDONIA, Mich. - Saturday's doubleheader for the Davenport baseball team saw them get a split against Purdue Northwest at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. The Pride scored late for a 3-2 win in game one and the Panthers rebounded for a 9-5 win in game two.
The Pride scored in the top of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and won 3-2 in game one.
Tyler Kapa gave up the winning run on a Luke Montgomery two-out RBI single to left center on a six-pitch at-bat. Kapa walked Cole Olson with one out and a passed ball moved him to second. Aden Johnson had a bunt single to move Olson to third. Billy Jones tried to bunt home the go-ahead run but
Anthony Aloisio made a web gem to nab Olson at home for the second out. Montgomery then delivered the game's biggest hit. The Panthers would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but
Josh Robinson grounded out to first for the final out.
Robinson had a RBI double to left center in the third inning and Aloisio also had a RBI single in the first inning.
Jared Evans went 2-for-3 at the plate for DU and was the only Panther with multiple hits. Ethan Getting (2-1) got the pitching win in relief for the Pride going 1.1 innings with one walk and two strikeouts. DU started
Tyler McKinstry and he had a quality start. He lasted 4.2 innings and allowed two runs with a walk and six strikeouts.
In the second game, Davenport scored the first four runs but then found themselves down 5-4 in the top of the seventh. Robinson had a RBI triple and Aloisio had a RBI groundout in the first inning.
Connor Hnilo reached on an error as a run scored and
Michael Tchavdarov had a RBI single in the second inning for a quick 4-0 lead.
The Pride did not score off
Jerad Berkenpas until the sixth inning but they got four runs to tie the contest. Montgomery had a RBI single and Hayden Matulich smacked a three-run home run to left center which did tie the game. Drake Ballard gave PNW a one-run lead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly. DU would not give in however as Robinson delivered a monster three-run home run in the seventh off reliever Joe Tor. Sawyer Meeuwes was charged with the fifth and sixth runs as he allowed Evans and Tchavdarov to reach base ahead of the Robinson home run.
Brayden Flanders made the lead hold up with three scoreless, no-hit innings in relief and he struck out three batters to get his first career win. Berkenpas went six innings and allowed four runs with one walk and a season-high seven strikeouts. Hnilo came through with two more runs driven in during the eighth inning on a two-run single which made it 9-5. Robinson went 2-for-2 with four RBI and a walk. Hnilo went 2-for-4 with his two RBI and a run scored. Aloisio also had a pair of hits in four at-bats.
Coltrane Rubner went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
The teams will conclude their weekend series on Sunday with a single game scheduled for 12:00 PM.
