CALEDONIA, Mich. - The fielding woes by Davenport proved to be too much on Saturday in a 14-6 loss to Northwood. The Timberwolves took three of the four games in the weekend series and were handed the first six runs as the Panthers made uncharacteristic miscues. The Panthers gave up a season-high in runs at home in the process. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gaetano Vallone took the hill for the Panthers and did an admirable job in his longest outing of the season. The Panthers looked to be in a good spot as they led 3-0 after three innings and 4-1 after four complete.

Noah Fiehn entered the game with a 2.08 ERA to lead the Timberwolves. He gave up three of those early runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout. Brent Showers gave DU a 1-0 lead in the second on a RBI single to right which scored Jimmy Filipski. Northwood left two runners on base in their half of the third and then DU scored twice in their half of the inning. Nolan Bryant whizzed one just past the ear of Fiehn to lead off the inning. Noah Marcoux then singled on a brilliant bunt down the third base line. Kamrin Markwardt delivered a RBI single through the right side on a hit-and-run which scored Bryant and Marcoux went to third. Colin Moran filled in for Fiehn and got Filipski to ground out but the run scored from third in the process.

Northwood had a five-run fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead. David Vinsky led off and a dropped pop up was a bad sign of things to come for the Panthers. Cole Brooks walked with one out and then Pete Zeimis came in for Vallone. Trevor Polewka greeted him with a single to load the bases. Kyle Ziegler plated a run on a fielder's choice for the second out. Ziegler stole second to put two runners in scoring position and then Jacob Rybicki also drew a walk on five pitches. Travis Janes had a clutch two-run single to give NU the lead and then a missed catch at first base on a pickoff attempt allowed Janes to take second and Rybicki to score with the sixth run.

Northwood added three runs in the seventh for a 9-4 advantage against Evan Maize. He walked two of the first three batters and then Janes singled to left field to load the bases. Michael Lincoln entered the game and got Kahle Showers to ground out to shortstop as Polewka scored. The big knock came next as Michael Karam singled to left center as two runs crossed the plate for the five-run lead.

Davenport got a run back in the seventh as Filipski had a sacrifice fly to center which scored Alex Huard. The Panthers got another run in the eighth as Showers doubled to right and later scored on a passed ball.

Northwood put the game away in the ninth with five more runs. Showers had a two-run single giving him four RBI for the game. Brooks lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Showers and Polewka had a two-RBI single to center to end the scoring plays.

GAME NOTES
Jacob Buchberger had his 10-game hitting streak ended going 0-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Marcoux, Bryant, Markwardt and Showers each had two hits in the contest. Janes went 3-for-4 with three runs scored for the Timberwolves. The 7-8-9 hitters drove in eight runs on the day. Cal Djuraskovic and Spencer Vainavicz each tossed an inning late giving up the five runs in the ninth. Davenport batted .233 in the series while the Timberwolves hit .295 and outscored DU 24-12. Buchberger batted .455 and Huard hit .417.

ON DECK
The Panthers (22-14) will conclude their non-conference slate on Tuesday, April 23 as they travel to Mt. Pleasant to take on the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The Panthers are 0-2 against CMU with the last meeting coming on March 14, 2012.