GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Davenport's 23^rd-ranked softball team quickly erased the memory of two tough losses Friday and got back to its winning ways with wins over two NCAA Division III schools in a rare day/night doubleheader Saturday. Emily Maves allowed one hit in the Panthers' 11-0 pounding over Bluffton and an eight-error evening committed by Alma allowed the Panthers to score nine unearned runs in a 10-2 victory.
 
Carli SanMillan had a six-hit day with a triple and two RBI to lead the Panthers. She also touched home plate five times. Casey Swink smashed the day's only home run off the bench in game one.
 
Game 1 – Davenport 11, Bluffton 0
Although she surrendered a one-out single in the second, Maves (8-2) went on to retire eight straight before turning it over to Alyssa Koziol in the fifth. Koziol didn't held Bluffton hitless despite an error and a walk gave the Beavers baserunners.
 
The Panthers (16-3) did all the damage they needed as soon as they got their hands on the bats for the first time. SanMillan opened the first inning with a triple to right and Sarah Schneidenbach sent a pitch to the same direction deep enough for second baseman to score the first run of the game. Schneidenbach also got the benefit of staying on base when the right fielder failed to catch the fly ball. KC Dunne collected the insurance policy with an RBI single up the middle and scored on Paige Sant'Angelo's fielder's choice. Koziol gave the Panthers a 4-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.
 
The Panthers went on to add three runs in the second, two in the third and Swink's two-run shot in the fourth.
 
Game 2 – Davenport 10, Alma 2
After a late run allowed Davenport to take a 7-3 win over Alma in its second game of the season held in Clermont, Fla., three weeks ago, the Panthers had a different result against the Scots in Michigan.
 
The only run Davenport had earned came in the first inning with SanMillan's single back to the pitcher. A wild pitch and groundout moved the leadoff hitter to third and Sant'Angelo's single to third drove in the run.
 
The eventual winning runs arrived in the second. Haley Obetts and Karli Myers hit back-to-back base hits and another dropped fly loaded the bases for the dangerous Dunne. The shortstop would clear the bags with a double to left center, giving the Panthers a 5-0 lead.
 
Trailing by three heading into the sixth, the Scots made four errors that allowed the Panthers to bring five runs across and take a 10-2 lead.
 
Eastman (6-1) went from start to finish allowing the two runs on seven hits and a walk. She also struck out six.
 
Davenport will welcome five teams, including fellow Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference members and Beltline neighbors Aquinas and Cornerstone, to the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex for the Davenport Classic Friday and Saturday. The Panthers take the field against Judson Friday at noon followed by Roosevelt at 4 p.m.
 
Softball Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu  
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