CALEDONIA, Mich. – The Panthers hosted their fifth team in the last seven days and didn't let that taxing of a schedule influence their play. Davenport welcomed the Pride of Purdue Northwest to the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex today for a doubleheader. The offense for Davenport remained hot in the games, scoring 13 runs in a five-inning game one and then finished with eight runs in game two. The Panthers are averaging 9.8 runs per game in their five-game win streak and scored in double digits in three of those games.
 
Game 1-Friday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m.
Final Score: Davenport University-13 | Purdue Northwest-4
Location: Caledonia, Mich.
Records: DU (31-17, 16-11) | PNW (24-20, 14-13)
 
Inside The Box
Lauren French (2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B)
Selene Pauley (2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR)
Alexa Flores (0-2, 2 R, SB, HBP)
Rachel Griffin (3-3, R, RBI)
Madison Jewell (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B)
Alexis Koza (1-3, 2 RBI)
Briana Allen (2-3, R, 2 RBI)
Mallory Teunissen (W, 21-7) 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 9 SO


 
After honoring former Davenport bus driver, Rick Jones, with the Rick Jones DU it Day, the Panthers and Pride started game one. Purdue Northwest was in the driver seat of the first game for three full innings, then the Panthers punched back with extreme force. Davenport, down two runs heading into the bottom of the fourth, scored six straight runs to tie and then take the lead. The flurry of runs started with Pauley scoring on a Griffin single up the middle. Later in the inning Jewell doubled down the left field line to score Kelli Nyenhuis and Flores. The runs continued to pour in, Allen singled to left field scoring Jewell, then French doubled to right center, scoring McKenzie Rowe and Kennedy Crawford. The Pride scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning, to cut DU's lead down to 6-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth. Davenport ended all hopes of the Pride making a comeback when they scored seven runs in the fifth to activate the mercy rule. Griffin, Flores, Jewell, Allen, French, Crawford, and Pauley all scored in the fifth. The final play was a Pauley homer to left field that scored herself, French, and Crawford.
 
Game 2-Friday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Final Score: Davenport University-8 | Purdue Northwest-7
Location: Caledonia, Mich.
Records: DU (32-17, 17-11) | PNW (24-21, 14-14)
 
Inside The Box
Flores (2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B)
Griffin (2-3, 2 RBI, BB, 2B)
Koza (2-4, RBI, 3B)
Rowe (2-3, R, RBI, SB)
Ellie Muilenburg (W, 11-10) 6 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
M. Teunissen (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO


 
Game two was a back and forth battle for all seven innings of play. The Panthers were first to get on the scoreboard when Flores doubled to left field, scoring French. The Pride responded with two runs in the second to go up 2-1. Griffin helped tie the game with a double in the third to score Pauley. In the fourth inning PNW scored three to take a 5-2 lead. Davenport chipped away at the three run lead by getting one run in the bottom of the fourth by Allen to make it a 5-3 game. The Pride scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead. Momentum completed shifted DU's way when they scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. The run started with a Flores double to right field that scored Rowe and Crawford, cutting the lead down to 7-5 in favor of PNW. The run continued when Griffin singled to right field and Flores scored. Furthermore, the game was tied up 7-7 when Jewell doubled to left field and Nyenhuis scored. The eventual game-winning run was scored by Jewell, who made it home due to a triple by Koza to right center! Teunssen subbed in to pitch the top of the seventh and earned the save by striking out two and getting the other batter to fly out.
 
The win puts Davenport in sole possession of second place in the GLIAC standings with only a few games remaining for each team. The GLIAC standings are based off of win percentage, which Davenport holds a .607 winning percentage with a record of 17-11. Saginaw Valley State sits in third place with a winning percentage of .538 and Purdue Northwest sits in fourth with a .500 percentage.
 
Up Next
The Panthers only have one doubleheader remaining on their schedule for the regular season. Davenport is hosting Grand Valley State on Monday, April 30 with a start time of 2 p.m. for the first game of the doubleheader.
 
Story by: Devin Steiner
 
Picture credit: Tyler Triemstra