INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Davenport baseball team enjoyed a successful weekend at the University of Indianapolis by winning three of the four games against the Greyhounds. On Sunday, Davenport resumed yesterday's game which was halted in the seventh inning. That result was a 13-7 win and led into the final game of the series which was an 8-1 victory to improve to 11-4 overall.
Davenport led 11-7 when play was stopped due to darkness last night. The Panthers then would score two more runs in the eighth inning to increase their winning margin. Davenport scored first but then saw UIndy answer with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The good news is that DU responded in the top of the second with three runs to tie the game.
Michael Tchavdarov cleared the bases with a home run with one out as
Logan Todd and
Cody Hultink scored ahead of him.
The Greyhounds regained the lead at 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth.
Adam Berghorst did not have his good stuff in this one and was lifted after 3.2 innings. He yielded seven runs on seven hits and walked five with two strikeouts.
Colton Blankstrom picked up his teammate on the mound in relief and kept UIndy off the board during his 3.1 innings to earn the win. Blankstrom allowed three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Davenport took the lead back for good in the fifth inning with five runs. Hultink had a two-run scoring double to tie the game.
Dylan Pawenski also had a two-run home run to right to give DU a 10-7 lead.
Chase Kemp,
Justin Johnson, and
Garrett Swan each drove in a run to increase the lead to 13-7.
Conor Gausselin along with Blankstrom provided solid bullpen innings. He went two innings and allowed no hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Hultink finished 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBI in the leadoff spot. Tchavdarov scored three runs and walked twice. Johnson had a double as part of two hits and a walk.
Joey Barboza and Todd also collected two hits in the bottom of the order.
The series finale was close with DU leading 3-1 after seven innings. However, the Panthers pulled away with two runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth for the 8-1 win.
Austin VanderMarkt improved to 3-0 on the mound this season and tossed six innings. He allowed just three hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Brandon Skorupski finished the final three innings and allowed just two hits with no runs and two strikeouts.
Tchavdarov finished the game going 2-for-5 which included a double and triple. Johnson had a two-run home run in the eighth and a RBI single in the ninth in clutch situations.
Coltrane Rubner also had a RBI single in the fourth inning and drew a walk. Pawenski led the team with three hits and drew a walk while scoring twice. Kemp had a RBI groundout in the second and
Vincent Hardy scored on a wild pitch.
The Panthers have a tough task ahead of them next weekend before they start conference games. They will travel to Quincy, Ill. on Saturday and play a neutral doubleheader against No. 4 Central Missouri (14-3). The Mules will play Quincy on Friday and also Davenport will play Quincy on Sunday, Mar. 16 in another doubleheader beginning at 1 PM ET.
