ALLENDALE, Mich. — Davenport baseball (30-27) fell to Grand Valley State (47-8) by a final score of 23-9 on Friday at the GVSU Baseball Field in the NCAA Midwest Regional. The Panthers recorded two home runs and 12 hits, but were unable to overcome the Lakers' offensive surge, as well as five errors and 11 walks allowed.
Grand Valley State opened the scoring in the first inning when Evan Morrison reached on an error and later scored on a single by Jovan Gill, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Davenport trailed 7-0 but responded with a six-run effort. After
Aiden Warn walked and
Ben Korson singled,
Travis Liford's RBI single brought in the first run.
Julian Contreras added two more with a single, and
Sam Clay capped the scoring with a three-run home run, his second of the season. The inning concluded with DU trailing 7-6 and left two runners on base.
The Lakers responded right away in the top of the third with seven runs on just four hits with one Panther error.
Jeff Agar walked the first two batters on eight pitches and
Jaden Alberson took over. He allowed a single to Morrison and Will Bowen was thrown out in a rundown. Ayden VanEnkevort delivered a two-run double and Gill followed with a double for the 10-6 lead.
Joe Chrapliwy relieved Alberson and walked in a run, but got the final two outs of the inning as DU trailed 14-6.
GVSU added five runs in the top of the fifth as Chrapliwy gave up a grand slam to Morrison for the big hit in the inning.
Ty Kraut came in and retired both batters he faced as GVSU led 19-6. DU got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as
Travis Liford walked and
Cam Johnson singled.
Julian Contreras had a two-out RBI single to center to score Liford for a 19-7 score.
In the ninth inning down 23-7,
Parker Neel hit a two-run home run, his second career home run, scoring
Vincent Hardy, who reached on an error. The Lakers scored their most runs ever against the Panthers and collected 18 hits. Davenport scored their nine runs on 12 hits and the Lakers committed just one error.
Gabe Helder started the game for Davenport, pitching 1 1/3 innings while allowing four hits, two walks, and three earned runs, taking the loss to move his record to 2-4. Agar followed, giving up one earned run and three walks in 2/3 inning, along with three wild pitches. Alberson surrendered five earned runs on four hits and two walks in just 1/3 inning. Chrapliwy pitched two innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits, while also hitting two batters. Kraut provided the longest stint on the mound, delivering 4 2/3 innings with four earned runs on five hits and two strikeouts.
Clay and Contreras led the team with three RBIs.
Cody Hultink had a pair of hits in five at-bats. Contreras went 3-for-3 with a run and a walk. Liford scored two runs and also drew a walk. Zach Warren (4-0) got the win for GVSU with five relief innings and allowed one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Panthers will now have a rematch with Missouri S&T in an elimination game on Saturday at 11 AM. DU won the first game 7-6 over the Miners on Thursday.
