WARRENSBURG, Mo. - The Davenport baseball team ended last season with a 13-2 record and it looks like some of that momentum carried into 2021. The Panthers didn't have the answers in Game 1 falling 9-1 to No. 3 Central Missouri but showed resolve by coming back for a 6-5 win in Game 2. DU beat a top-5 team nationally for the first time since moving to NCAA Division II.

Game 1
Central Missouri entered the game with a 3-1 record and looked more polished in the 9-1 win. The Mules chipped away with single runs in the first, second and fifth innings. DU kept themselves in the game despite just a few hits throughout the game. Trailing 3-0, Hunter Ruhstorfer led off the sixth inning with a home run over the left-center wall. Unfortunately, that run would be it for the Panthers.

The Mules increased their lead to 5-1 after seven innings and put the game out of reach with four runs in the eighth. Central Missouri had 10 hits off five different Panther pitchers. Dalton O'Boyle got the start for DU but control issues saw him exit in the third inning. He walked four in 2.2 innings and allowed four hits and two runs. James Kohl had a solid debut with 2.1 innings and one hit allowed. Kohl struck out two and hit a pair of batters.

Central Missouri pitchers did not walk a batter and had eight strikeouts. Mason Green got the start and win going five innings and allowing two hits with two strikeouts. Nolan Bryant and Ben Mets each went 2-for-4 with a double. Mets made his debut on his birthday.

Game 2
Davenport led 1-0 and 2-1 early in the nightcap but saw the Mules score three times in the third for a 4-2 lead. The big moment came in the four-run fourth. Dylan Watson had a bloop RBI single which scored Noah Marcoux and then Nolan Anspaugh cleared the fence with a three-run, go-ahead home run for a 6-4 lead.

Central Missouri scored in the bottom of the eighth on a throwing error. Garrett Pennington took off for third on a ball in the dirt and Carson Eby picked it up quickly and looked to have time to throw him out at third. The throw was wild and Pennington scored.

James Rogers got the start and win for the Panthers. He went five innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs. He walked two and struck out two. Derrick Edington was solid in relief of Rogers going 1.1 innings and allowing no runs with two strikeouts. Evan Maize got out of trouble in the eighth to keep the one-run lead and Cal Djuraskovic entered to get the save in the ninth. It wasn't without drama however. He hit leadoff hitter Micah Evans on the first pitch. The next pitch got a pop-out on a bunt attempt for the first out. Dusty Stroup struck out looking and Evans stole second. Evans then stole third but Pennington struck out on a 2-2 count to end the game.

Anspaugh went 3-for-5 with two runs, double, home run and three RBI. Gaetano Vallone had two hits in three at-bats and scored a run. Bryant had a triple and walk in four at-bats. Watson had two RBI and scored a run.

The two teams are back in action tomorrow at 2 pm for a single game to wrap up the series.