Panthers face No. 7 Grand Valley State in West Michigan showdown

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – It has been a while since the Davenport baseball team took the field as they last played on Tuesday, April 14 in a 13-6 non-conference win at home against Northwood. The Panthers had a bye weekend from conference play due to an odd number of teams in the GLIAC and will now have a very big weekend series at No. 7 Grand Valley State. The Lakers are leading the GLIAC with a 13-3 record, while the Panthers are in third place at 10-6.

DU used a six-run fifth inning against the Timberwolves to propel them to their 20th win back on April 14. Sam Clay had the big hit in the inning with a bases-clearing double. Justin Johnson and Dylan Pawenski also had an RBI double in the inning. Travis Liford hit a second-inning home run of the solo variety. He later had an RBI single in the third inning and finished with three hits and two RBIs. Clay scored twice and also walked twice. Pawenski drove in three runs and had two doubles. Carson Lindau went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Ian Dixon picked up the win in three relief innings (1-0) allowing just two hits with a walk and strikeout.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Clay has put together a quality stretch during the GLIAC contests batting .383 in league games in 16 starts. He has scored 17 runs, while collecting six doubles, two triples, and nine RBIs. He has a .519 on-base percentage with 16 walks and just eight strikeouts. He is also fielding 1.000 with 26 putouts and 40 assists.

Pawenski is hitting .356 in GLIAC games this season with 15 runs scored, four doubles, two triples, two home runs, and a team-high 17 RBIs. Johnson is hitting .350 in 16 starts with 12 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 15 RBIs. DU is hitting .323 as a team in conference play and limiting the opponents to a .264 batting average. Jaden Alberson has a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 innings with a save. Easton Remick is 2-0 in GLIAC games with a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings with 19 strikeouts.

Davenport entering this week ranks second in the conference in batting average (.322) and hits (454). They are first in doubles (94) and being hit by pitch (79). DU is also second in runs scored (352) and on-base percentage (.425).

SERIES HISTORY
Davenport leads the all-time series against Grand Valley State by a 23-15 margin. The Panthers have won four straight, with all four wins by a one-run margin.

The last time out was the GLIAC Tournament on May 10, when the Panthers won 6-5 in 10 innings in Lansing. Cody Hultink had the walk-off single and both teams entered the game ranked in the top 15 in Division II. DU trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth when Pawenski delivered an RBI single to center, scoring Wyatt Epple. GVSU took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th, but Hultink, down to his final strike, delivered on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to score Coltrane Rubner and Clay.

DU is 8-7 in Allendale and is looking to snap a four-game losing streak at GVSU.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Grand Valley State is ranked No. 7 in the latest NCBWA Division II poll and is 34-7 overall under head coach Jordan Keur. They have only played five home games this season, but haven't lost in Allendale. The Lakers took three of four games at Saginaw Valley State last weekend and have won three straight. The last time out was a 9-4 home win against Tiffin on Tuesday, April 21. The Lakers used five pitchers and Edward Konow got his first win of the season with three relief innings. GVSU struck out 10 Dragon batters and walked just two. Josh Fleming and Will Bowen each homered in the game and Bowen also had a triple to finish 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs.

Grand Valley State currently leads the GLIAC in batting average (.339), earned run average (3.64), fielding percentage (.971), hits (467), on-base percentage (.445), and runs (399). Collin Bradley has made a strong case for All-Region and All-American honors on the hill with an 8-0 record in 10 starts with two complete games and a sterling 1.27 ERA. He has thrown 63.2 innings with 41 strikeouts and just nine walks with opponents hitting .194 against him. Evan Morrison is leading the offense with a .419 batting average among those with two plate appearances per game and playing in 75 percent of the team games. Morrison has scored a ridiculous 66 runs, which is tied for fourth in a season at GVSU. He has 75 hits, including 12 doubles, four triples, and four home runs. He is also 22-of-27 in stolen bases and has a .483 on-base percentage. Jovan Gill leads the squad with 61 RBIs, which is tied for seventh in a season at GVSU. Gill has nine home runs and a .559 slugging percentage. Caleb Estrada leads the team with 12 home runs and has driven in 55 runs.

SCHEDULE (All games at GVSU Baseball Field)
Friday, April 24 at 12:00 PM (note time change from 3:00 PM) - Live Video
Saturday, April 25 at 1:00 PM (DH) - Live Video
Sunday, April 26 at 12:00 PM - Live Video
Live Stats for all four games

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Players Mentioned

#2 Coltrane Rubner: OF; 6' 1"; Senior; L/R

#4 Sam Clay: INF; 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#19 Ian Dixon: RHP; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; L/R

#10 Wyatt Epple: OF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#24 Cody Hultink: OF; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#22 Justin Johnson: 1B/C; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#16 Travis Liford: INF; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#1 Carson Lindau: INF; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R

#18 Dylan Pawenski: C/OF; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#31 Jaden Alberson: RHP/OF; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#2 Coltrane Rubner
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#4 Sam Clay
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#19 Ian Dixon
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; L/R
: RHP

#10 Wyatt Epple
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#24 Cody Hultink
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: OF

#22 Justin Johnson
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: 1B/C

#16 Travis Liford
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#1 Carson Lindau
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#18 Dylan Pawenski
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: C/OF

#31 Jaden Alberson
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: RHP/OF