CALEDONIA, Mich. — Davenport (23-24, 12-9 GLIAC) edged past Purdue Northwest (15-23, 7-14 GLIAC) with a narrow 5-4 victory on Friday at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. This win marks the eighth straight victory for Davenport over Purdue Northwest. Davenport tallied 14 hits, including two home runs and four doubles, while holding off PNW's late-inning rally. The hosts secured the win despite PNW cutting the lead to one in the ninth inning.
Davenport secured the victory over PNW, with key contributions in several innings. In the third inning,
Carson Lindau singled to left center but was caught stealing shortly after.
Cody Hultink later singled, setting up
Justin Johnson and
Dylan Pawenski, whose consecutive singles through the right side of the infield allowed Hultink to score, putting Davenport ahead 1-0.
In the fourth inning,
Ben Korson reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on another error via a failed pickoff.
Travis Liford capitalized with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Korson and making it 2-1.
The fifth inning saw Hultink double and advance to third on a groundout. Pawenski then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Hultink to score and extend the lead to 3-2.
Aiden Warn added to the lead in the seventh inning with a solo home run to right field, his seventh of the season, increasing Davenport's advantage to 4-2.
Liford homered to left field in the eighth inning, providing Davenport with a vital insurance run, making it 5-3. Liford has been on a hot streak, homering in back-to-back games.
Despite PNW scoring a run in the ninth inning, Davenport held on for the 5-4 win.
Sean Knorr delivered a solid performance, pitching a season-high seven innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out four batters, earning his third win of the season with a record of 3-1.
Brandon Skorupski came in for relief, striking out one in 2/3 inning, but conceding one run on three hits.
Aidan Arbaugh got a strikeout for the second out of the ninth and
Gabe Helder closed the game, with Helder securing his first save of the season, pitching 1/3 inning without allowing a run, and recording four strikes on five pitches.
Hultink recorded three hits, including two doubles, while also scoring two runs. Warn contributed with a home run, adding two hits and one RBI to his performance. Pawenski drove in two runs, delivering a key sacrifice fly during the game.
The next challenge for Davenport is set for Saturday, May 2, when it hosts PNW at 1 p.m. in Caledonia, Michigan for a GLIAC doubleheader.
