ASHLAND, Ohio - Terrific pitching was on display for the Davenport softball team on Thursday afternoon as the Panthers swept a road doubleheader against Ashland, 6-1 and 8-0 in six innings, to close out the 2021 regular season. The Panthers gave up just one run on a combined six hits for the two games as the Eagles stranded a total of nine base runners. Next up on the schedule for Davenport is another trip to Ohio, this time for the GLIAC Tournament on May 11-13 in Sandusky.

Ellie Muilenburg (9-8) was tasked with the start in game and went the distance for her 12th complete game of the season. Muilenburg gave up one earned run on four hits with just two walks and 11 strikeouts for the seventh 10+ strikeout game of her career (all have come this season). The junior right-hander reached 150 strikeouts for the season (entered the season with 160 career strikeouts) and surpassed 300 for her career.

At the plate, Davenport scored all six of its runs in the first three innings. In the second, Monica Meger hit a two-run single, Jorden Urban scored on a wild pitch and Gabby Palazzolo singled in Addison Binney. The inning after that, Rachel Griffin hit a two-run homer to center for her eighth blast of the season, which is tied with Lindsay Goodman for the team lead. That shot gave her 23 for her career which is tied with Katie Cornman (2009-12) for sixth in program history.

In the nightcap, Emma Miller (11-8) saw a return to form with her 11th complete game of the season, a category in which she had just thee of for her career entering this season. Miller surrendered just two hits in the shutout with three free passes and three punchouts.

Offensively, Davenport scored three runs in the second inning, one in the third and four more in the sixth to win by the run rule. Six of those eight runs came by way of the long ball as Binney hit a three-run shot in the second and Miller followed suit with a three-run dinger in the sixth. Those two hits sandwiched a pair of sacrifice flies by Mariah Cura in the third and Binney in the sixth. That homerun for Miller is the second of her career, but first since her freshman season, while Binney has four as a freshman.

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler