Baseball Splits on Opening Day vs. Cal Baptist
Feb. 6, 2010
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Davenport opened their 2010 baseball season with a split on day one as they defeated Cal Baptist 10-6 in the opener before falling on a walk-off HR in the second 11-10. The Panthers will face the Lancers twice more on Saturday.
Playing on the west coast for the first time in program history, DU got off to a fast start against a team that has already played five games. The Panthers put up four runs in the top half of the first inning which was highlighted by a bases clearing double by sophomore Derrick Gentile (Sturgis, Mich.).
DU would tack on one more in the top of the third when Matt McNeil (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) scored after reaching on a walk. Jake Loomans (Grandville, Mich.) brought him home on a single to center field.
The offense continued to stay hot in the top of the fourth after Joe Hill (Tecumseh, Mich.) drew a walk and Rob Bolster (Blissfield, Mich.) singled and Hill was brought home by a Matt Collins (Akron, Ohio) single.
Tucker Gernhard, who got the start for the Panthers, was solid until the bottom of the fourth when a few errors and walks cost him a few runs but he managed to escape while only allowing three. The Lancers then added three more in the bottom of the 7th but the Panthers held together.
Three runs came across in the top of the ninth all from the middle of the order as James Folske (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.), Collins and Austin Licon (Rockford, Ill.) each scored for insurance and DU walked away with the 10-6 win.
Greg Bartlett (Hemlock, Mich.) got the win on the mound as the junior came in relief of Gernhard in the 5th of the 9-inning game.
The second game started out the exact opposite for the Panthers as it was the host Lancers who jumped out to an early lead only to see DU mount a comeback.
Davenport did manage to post nine hits in the first five innings, but were unable to bring any of the runners home. CBU used a one-run first and followed it with five more in the fourth and three more in the sixth to take a commanding 9-2 lead.
After notching a run in the top half of the 7th, the bats finally came alive in the 8th as Jake Loomans got things started with a single and then he was followed by two more singles by David Stuppy (Dowagiac, Mich.) and Jason Pierce (Big Rapids, Mich.). All-together, with a little sloppy defense from the Lancers, DU put up seven runs to take a 10-9 lead.
A scoreless ninth inning sent the game into extra innings and after DU could not muster a threat, the game ended abruptly when the second batter of the bottom of the inning hit one over the left field wall for the walk-off win.
DU will look to rebound from the tough loss when they take on the Lancers again on Saturday at 1:00 PM EST.
Post-Game Notes
Cody VanKoevering of Jenison made his collegiate debut today as the freshman pitched one inning of scoreless relief in the second game...Matt Borup of Saranac also made his college debut as the freshman hit a home-run in only his second plate appearance
