TAMPA, Fla. - The Davenport baseball team found out why Tampa is ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II on Saturday as they were shutout twice in a doubleheader against the Spartans. DU entered the game with a 7-1 record, while Tampa was 10-2 overall. Game 1 could have gone either way as the Spartans prevailed 1-0 and then Tampa took game two by a final score of 5-0.
Adam Berghorst had a tremendous start for Davenport in game one, but giving up one unearned run in the second inning was the difference. Kevin Karstetter had a RBI single with no outs and scored Lenny Ashby from third. Ashby singled to start the inning and took two more bases on a fielding error. DU left six runners on base and managed just four hits. C.J. Williams improved to 3-1 on the mound this season for Tampa as he lasted seven innings and allowed the four hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts. Michael Alfonso earned his fourth save of the season tossing the final two innings with no hits and one strikeout. Berghorst gave his team seven strong innings and allowed six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Mason Hill threw one inning and retired the Spartans in order in the eighth inning.
Justin Johnson had DU's only extra-base hit which was a double in the seventh inning.
Zach Hopman,
Vincent Hardy, and
Sam Clay each had a single.
Davenport had four hits in the nightcap as well and did not have much foot traffic on the bases leaving just five stranded in nine innings. Three of those hits for DU were doubles by Johnson, Hopman, and
Cody Hultink. J.D. Urso drove in three runs for Tampa and had a two-run home run in the fifth inning. He also had a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Jake Stipp saw his record improve to 4-0 this season for Tampa. He tossed seven innings and allowed the four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Jacob Fletcher finished the final two innings and did not allow a hit with a strikeout.
James Geshel took the loss (1-2) for the Panthers and threw 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Brandon Skorupski threw 2.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Coltrane Rubner made his first pitching appearance at DU and fared well in 1.1 innings. He did not allow a hit with two walks and a strikeout.
The team needs to refocus for Sunday (Mar. 2) as they face No. 21 Ashland in a key regional matchup beginning at 1:00 PM at the UT Baseball Field.
