Softball Splits Versus Davenport - NU Earns Comeback 7-6 Win In Game Two

OVERVIEW – DAVENPORT

SCORES: Davenport Panthers 4, Northwood Timberwolves 2, Northwood Timberwolves 7, Davenport Panthers 6

RECORDS: Northwood 19-14-1, 9-5 GLIAC/Davenport 14-13, 6-4 GLIAC

LOCATION: Fisher Stadium – Midland, Mich.

RECAP: Northwood splits a doubleheader against Davenport Wednesday (April 3), with the Panthers taking game one 4-2 before the Timberwolves earned a comeback 7-6 win in the nightcap.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Davenport opened the scoring in their first at-bats. Leading off with a single and walk, a groundout and infield single plated both baserunners and gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
• Northwood cut into the lead in the second. Tara Gross cracked a one-out double to the left-center field gap, and Torriya Gray-Baker plated her with a line drive single to cut the deficit in half at 2-1 heading into the third.
• The Panthers almost countered with a rally of their own in the top of the third. A single and error put runners at first and third with one out. However, Taylor Wright was able to wiggle out of the jam with a strikeout and flyout to keep the deficit at one run.
• The Timberwolves evened the spread in the bottom of the third. Maddie Coulter singled, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, and came home on a Grace Dutoi bloop base hit that tied the game at 2.
• DU retook the lead in the sixth. A leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt moved a runner to second with one out. A wild pitch and throwing error during the ensuing at bat plated the go-ahead run, giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
• The Panthers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. A single and stolen base put a runner at second with two out. A clutch line drive base hit to center plated the fourth run of the game for Davenport and extended their lead back to two runs. The Timberwolves were unable to provide an answer from there and dropped the first game of the doubleheader.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 2/6/2, Davenport: 4/8/0
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 5, Davenport: 7
• Winning Pitcher – Mallory Teunissen (7-4): 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 10 K, 2 BB
• Losing Pitcher – April Bennett (7-4): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 K, 1 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Gray-Baker: 2-2, RBI, BB
• Dutoi: 1-2, RBI , BB
• Coulter: 1-4, R

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Davenport broke the scoreless deadlock in the top of the third. A leadoff double and wild pitch advanced a runner to third. A line drive single to right-center brought her home and gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
• Northwood drew even in their ensuing at-bats. Tara Gross reached on an error, and Torriya Gray-Baker doubled to put runners at second and third with two out. Grace Dutoi capitalized on the opportunity with a single, plating both runs to give the Timberwolves a 2-1 lead after three innings of play.
• Davenport got a solo homer and an RBI single to make the score 4-2.
• NU came right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring on an error and an RBI single by Sydni Culps that tied game at 4-4.
• The Panthers took the lead back in the sixth thanks to a pair of solo home runs to go up 6-4.
• Northwood made one final comeback in the bottom of the sixth to earn the win. After a leadoff triple to Taylor Schmitt,  Julia Gross plated her with a single to center to make the score 6-5.
• Tara Gross then doubled to right center to score her sister Julia and tie the game at 6-6.
• Dutoi finished the comeback with an RBI single, giving Northwood back the lead at 7-6.
• April Bennett pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish the win and earn the save.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 7/11/1, Davenport: 6/12/2
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 8, Davenport: 5
• Winning Pitcher – Shayna Frank (6-5): 6 IP, 12 H, 6 R, BB, K
• Losing Pitcher – Ellie Mullenburg (5-5):  5 2/3, 10 H, 7 R, (3 ER), BB, K
• Save – April Bennett (3): IP, K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Dutoi: 3-3, 3 RBI
• Julia Gross: 2-4, R, RBI
• Schmitt: 1-2, 3B, R

UP NEXT

• Northwood will host Ferris State on Saturday (April 6) for a doubleheader against the Bulldogs. First pitch is set for Noon.