CALEDONIA, Mich. - Starting with the suspended second game that was at Saginaw Valley State on March 23, Davenport's Alexis Koza hit a two-out, two-strike three-run homer to center in the top of the seventh inning that swung the game in the Panthers' favor, 7-5.Then in the originally scheduled doubleheader, the Cardinals took game one, 3-1, before the Panthers run ruled their opponent in the nightcap, 12-1, in five innings. Next up on the schedule, Davenport will finish up this team-record 12-game homestand on Sunday against Ashland with the first pitch in game one set for 1 p.m.

By taking two of three on the day and five of its last six overall, Davenport improved to 15-15 in 2021, including 11-7 in GLIAC play, while Saginaw Valley State fell to 18-9 on the season and 7-7 in league action.

Emma Miller (7-5) was credited with the win for the suspended game after a complete-game showing in which she allowed five runs, three earned, on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Lindsay Goodman (3-R HR in the first) and Koza each brought in three runs while Rylie Kalina brought in the seventh with an RBI single in the first.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Saginaw Valley State's Emily Depew (4-0) was brilliant as she gave up just one earned run on three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in the complete-game effort. Her counterpart, Miller (7-6) surrendered three earned runs on six hits, also without a free pass, to go with two punchouts. Davenport's lone run came in the bottom of the sixth when Koza hit a solo blast down the left field line.

In the nightcap and third game of the day, Davenport's bats did big damage with five runs in the first inning, one in the second and six in the third. Individually, four Panthers notched both multiple hits and RBI including Koza (2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI), Rachel Griffin (2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB), Mariah Cura (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI), and Kalina (2-2, 1 R, 4 RBI). Also registering a hit for Davenport was Gabby Palazzolo, Goodman, Brooke Cowan, and Ellie Muilenburg.

Highlighting the Panthers' 12-run performance in the second game of the twin bill even further, it was a historic one:

• Tied for most runs by DU this season (3/5 - Kentucky Wesleyan, 4/14 - Wayne State).
• Makes 10 or more hits for the Panthers in four of their last six games after just three times in the first 24 games.
• Most runs ever scored against SVSU, the previous best was eight.
• Only the second time DU has ever run ruled SVSU, but it was the first time done so in five innings.
• Marked the first time the Cardinals have given up 10 or more runs this season and just the second time since the start of the 2020 season.

In the circle, Muilenburg (6-6) made her first start since game one against Northwood on April 7 and was happy to have her name etched in the starter's slot again. Muilenburg gave up only one unearned run on one hit with just one walk and six strikeouts, her most since the Wayne State doubleheader in Detroit. The junior hurler has allowed no earned runs in two of her last three outings after failing to do that in her first 11 outings of the season.

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler