Walk-Off Walk Caps Davenport Comeback Over Golden Bears
Davenport Panthers Strike Again
Right after taking down the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles, the Davenport Panthers played the second of a Space Coast Spring Games doubleheader against the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears.
This one proved that it is never over until it is over when you are facing the Panthers.
This game started out as a quick pitcher’s duel. Hailey Whisman took the ball for Davenport, and aside from a one-out double from Riley Rosenthal, that was it for the opening.
Emmy Bowne then took the circle for Concordia and had a quiet opening frame, including a strikeout to Savanna Clark.
The Panthers looked to have started a nice bottom of the second inning after shutting the Golden Bears down again in the top half, but after Alaina Schwanke and Chloe Parker recorded back-to-back hits to put runners on the corners, Bowne and the Golden Bears defense behind her got out of the jam clean.
Ashley Sturgill fouled out, and Lexi McCarty grounded into a double play to end the inning. That was big for Concordia because the next inning was when the bats would wake up.
Rylie Rasmussen took a 2-2 pitch and singled for a leadoff hit. Then with one out, Lily Burke reached on a fielder’s choice with Rasmussen out at second.
That is where the two-out magic began. Rosenthal reached on a walk to put two back on, and Alexis Monty cashed in with a three-run shot to open up a Concordia-St. Paul 3-0 lead.
Now, Bowne could return to the circle with some breathing room, and she made it through the third with only a single and recorded another strikeout during the frame.
The Golden Bears would add on another run in the next inning, as Katie Klotz led off with a single and came around to score on a Bryleigh Dana one-out single to make it 4-0.
Chloe Parker was able to end the side and get Davenport off the field, as she caught Amanda Barnacle stealing second.
Davenport had faced adversity in the game prior and responded. This time, Ally Prasnjak answered the call with a leadoff solo home run to start the bottom of the fourth to put the Panthers on the board, 4-1. Then a couple of batters later, Chloe Parker knocked another solo shot to bring the score to 4-2.
Davenport was making their move, and this is what they showed that they are well capable of doing. With one out, Sturgill singled and then stole second to give them a runner in scoring position. She then advanced to third on a groundout, but was left stranded.
Bowne and the Golden Bears were able to keep calm and stop the continued threat in that inning. Davenport can score in bunches, and getting away with two runs given still kept them in front.
To start the fifth, Davenport brought in Julia Perry to the circle, and she would be greeted with a leadoff hit from Ella Arendt. Arendt had flown out in her first at-bat and gladly took this one. She then moved to second on a groundout.
Monty came to the plate, and Davenport would not chance another homer from her, so they put her on intentionally. Then Perry lost Abi Carter on a walk to load the bases with two outs, but bounced back with a strikeout to Katie Klotz that curved to the outside on her, and Perry was able to escape a dangerous situation.
Bowne returned for the bottom half of the fifth and opened with a strikeout to Hannah Maurer before Chloe Bruman singled and then advanced to second on a groundout. Ally Prasnjak then walked, but things ended as she was erased on a fielder’s choice.
Julia Perry gave way to Alaina Schwanke to begin the sixth in the circle, and she was able to hold things right where they were to give the offense a chance to close in on the 4-2 deficit.
Davenport applied pressure in the bottom half with two outs. Lyla Reynold and Kylie Hegland reached on back-to-back singles, and Kailyn Luna recorded an RBI-single to bring in Lexi McCarty (pinch for Reynold) to bring the score to 4-3, Golden Bears. That is all they could push across that inning, but they were chipping away with one more inning left to go.
Schwanke held the Golden Bears to nothing in the top half after only giving up a leadoff hit.
Savanna Clark began the bottom of the seventh with an infield single that fell right in front of the first baseman and pitcher. Clark then stole second with Prasnjak up to bat, and Prasnjak followed with a huge single to the right-center gap and advanced to second, giving the Panthers a shot to walk this game off.
No parts of Schwanke were wanted, and she took an intentional walk to load the bases with no outs. It felt like this was Davenport’s game to take with only needing two runs to come across to win, but Bowne came back, retiring the next two, including a strikeout to Sturgill on a nice changeup.
With one out needed to close it out for Concordia, Lexi McCarty forced an RBI-walk to bring in Clark for the tying score, 4-4. Kylie Hegland came to bat, and Bowne lost her as well for a walk-off RBI-walk, bringing in Prasnjak for the 5-4 win.
Davenport capped the doubleheader sweep, and if there is one thing the Panthers made clear, it is that you cannot count them out.
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