SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- The Drury Panthers extended their winning streak to nine games as they swept Rockhurst in a doubleheader on Monday at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark. Drury matched their season-high with 16 hits and won the first game 21-5, then took game two 8-7 to conclude the four-game series against the Hawks.
Drury raised their record to 19-15 and 10-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and dropped Rockhurst to 7-21 and 2-10 in the league.
In the seven inning opener, Drury scored four runs in first and second innings and added three more in the third for a commanding 11-2 lead.
Colin Garner and
Brandt Ollinger each blasted three run doubles in the opening two frames.
The Panthers continued to pour it on with five more runs on four hits and an error in the fourth inning. Drury finished the Hawks off by scoring a run in the fifth and four runs in the sixth for the 21-5 victory.
Avery Jennings (3-3) got the win for the Panthers and went six innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Garner, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games, went 2 for 3 at the plate for the Panthers with four RBIs and scored two runs.
Ryan Kayhill,
Drew Newson, Ollinger, and
Ethan Owens each racked up three RBIs.
In the nightcap, Drury scored a pair of runs in the first and third innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Kayhill, who went 3-for-6 on the day with five RBIs and three runs, came through with RBI hits in each of those innings. Rockhurst countered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and went on top 5-4 on a RBI double that plated three by Corbin Hare in the fifth.
Drury took the lead for good in the sixth when they scored three runs on five hits.
Brant Schaffitzel singled to right to bring home two Panthers and give DU the lead. Rockhurst added a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single to make it a one run game.
Junior
Spencer Witherspoon (2-0) picked up the win as the Arlington, Texas native went 2.2 innings allowing three hits, no runs and no walks with one strikeout.
Nick Costantino closed out the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
KK Daniel had two runs, two hits and drove in two runs to pace the Panthers who outhit the Hawks 14-10. Ollinger went 4-for-8 on the day with four RBIs and three runs.
The DU baseball Panthers will start a four-game series with Missouri S&T on Saturday with first pitch set for noon at US Baseball Park. DU will then travel to S&T on Sunday to complete the series.
