ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Davenport baseball team needed a big weekend at Grand Valley State to pick themselves up. They are one win away from a four-game sweep as they won a pair of games in convincing fashion on Saturday by scores of 9-2 and 8-0. With the wins, Davenport has created a little distance between themselves and the Lakers in the GLIAC standings. The Panthers are just a half game behind Northwood for fifth place. 
 
How It Happened: The Panthers got a nice pick-me-up in game one as Evan Marquardt took the mound for the first time since March 9 against Hillsdale due to injury. He didn't skip a beat going five innings and allowing three hits and two runs to improve to 4-1. Luke LaLumia finished out the final two innings making his third appearance of the season. He allowed no hits and walked one.

The Panthers struck early with two runs in the second and five more in the third to lead 7-0. Travis Harvey walked to lead off the second and Kamrin Markwardt homered with one out to left for his first of the season and a 2-0 lead. Jacob Buchberger walked with one out in the third and Nolan Bryant scored him with a double to left center. Noah Marcoux matched it with a double to right center for a 4-0 lead. It marked the final batter for Jared Skubic who was replaced by Christian Mercure. Markwardt later in the inning drove home a pair with a two-out single to left giving him four RBI.

The Lakers scored twice in the fifth as Nathan Bonter and Connor Grice each had a RBI off Marquardt. The Panthers quickly got those back in the sixth. Hunter Ruhstorfer singled and then Bryant homered for the fifth time this season to right.

James Rogers was lights out on the mound for Davenport in game two. He went all seven innings and allowed just two hits. His first hit allowed came in the fifth inning to Bonter to lead off the inning with a single. He also gave up a single to lead off the sixth inning to Christian Faust. In all, Rogers tossed 108 pitches (69 strikes) and walked two with a season-high seven strikeouts.

The game was close as DU scored twice in the fourth and carried that lead into the seventh. Markwardt continued his hot day with a two-run single up the middle in the fourth. The Panthers put it away with six runs in the seventh. Harvey delivered a grand slam to left for the big blow to make it 8-0. Buchberger went 2-for-3 with a walk. Alex Huard went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run. 

Game Notes: The Panthers batted .328 for the day and had five doubles and three home runs. Markwardt finished 4-for-7 with six RBI. GVSU batted just .119 with five hits in 42 at-bats. 

On Deck: Davenport (16-10, 4-6 GLIAC) will conclude their weekend series at Grand Valley State (8-19-1, 1-9-1 GLIAC) beginning on Sunday, April 7 at 11 a.m.