KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 23rd-ranked (D2Baseball.com) Davenport Panther baseball team faced a tough doubleheader at Rockhurst University on Friday at Loyola Park Baseball Field, falling 4-3 in the first game on a walk-off single and 7-5 in the second contest. 

In the first game, Davenport took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning, highlighted by Sam Clay's two-run double to right center, scoring Dylan Pawenski and Travis Liford. However, Rockhurst responded with solo runs in the sixth and eighth innings before clinching the win with a run in the ninth. The game remained tense throughout, with both teams recording 10 hits each. Rockhurst got on the board first in the second inning with a solo home run by Colton Wemhoff, and Davenport tied the game in the third when Clay scored on a wild pitch. 

Sean Knorr started his first game for Davenport, pitching five innings and allowing one earned run on three hits, while striking out four batters and walking two in the no-decision outing. Sean Latham relieved Knorr and pitched 1/3 of an inning, giving up one earned run on two hits with a walk. Brandon Skorupski then took over, pitching two innings and allowing one run on three hits, with two strikeouts and one free pass. Gabe Helder closed the game, pitching 1 1/3 innings and giving up one run on one hit, with two strikeouts and two walks. Those walks were in the ninth inning back-to-back with one out and then Dakota Hanna delivered the two-out, walk-off single for the 4-3 victory. 

Clay contributed significantly with two hits and two RBI, including a double. Wyatt Epple recorded a career-high three hits and added a double as well, maintaining an impressive on-base presence. Julian Contreras excelled defensively, amassing five assists from his shortstop position in his first game as a Panther. 

In the second game, Davenport managed to rally with a three-run fourth inning, but Rockhurst's four-run third inning and a two-run sixth ultimately secured its victory. The home team surged ahead in the third inning with a three-run homer from Kaden Jeffries, putting Rockhurst up 4-0. Davenport responded in the fourth with three runs, thanks to Liford's double and Contreras' two-RBI double (first RBI at DU), narrowing the gap to 4-3. 

The Hawks extended its lead in the fifth inning when Wemhoff's lead-off double resulted in a run on a fielding error, making it 5-3. DU answered in the sixth with Contreras' sacrifice fly bringing home Aidan Warn, closing the score to 5-4. However, RU added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on a throwing error and a single from Afton Koch, to lead 7-4 after six innings. 

Easton Remick started in his debut at Davenport on the mound, pitching 2 2/3 innings with 68 pitches, allowing four earned runs on four hits, including a home run, while striking out four batters and walking two. Brayden Flanders delivered 2 1/3 innings of relief, giving up one run on two hits and striking out two batters with one walk. Ian Dixon faced three batters without recording an out, allowing three hits and one earned run. Connor Apligian closed out the pitching efforts for the Panthers, striking out two batters over one inning, while yielding no hits. 

Contreras led the team with three RBI in the second game, including a double. Liford recorded a double, scored a run, and drove in a run, while Justin Johnson finished with two hits, including a double, and scored once. Warn scored twice and added a hit while drawing three walks. 

Looking ahead, the Panthers (0-2) are set to take the field again on Sunday, Feb. 15, when it faces Rockhurst (2-0) at 1 PM (ET) to finish the weekend series.