Davenport Fall Report: Panthers Look to Sustain Standard of Excellence

Following a historic 2025 campaign that saw the Davenport Panthers set a DII program record with 42 wins, the expectations in Caledonia remain sky-high. Under the guidance of Head Coach Kevin Tidey, who enters his 15th season with a career .662 winning percentage, the Panthers captured both the GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament titles. The team’s dominance was underscored by a sterling 21-3 conference record and their selection as a Midwest Regional Host for the second time since 2022.

Despite these accolades, including Tidey securing his third GLIAC Coach of the Year honor, the season ended in heartbreak on their home turf at the Farmer's Insurance Athletic Complex with consecutive losses to UIndy in the regional tournament. Now, with a roster that returns 49.6% of its offensive production but only 37% of its innings on the mound, the Panthers face the challenge of retooling a lineup that has become a perennial contender on the national stage.

The Offense

The lineup will be anchored by veteran leadership and an infusion of junior college talent looking to replicate the high-octane production of last spring. First baseman Justin Johnson returns for his senior season as the centerpiece of the order after a First Team All-Midwest Region campaign. In 206 ABs, Johnson hit .330 with 17 doubles, nine home runs, and 52 RBI, numbers that placed him third in the conference for homers and fourth in runs batted in. Joining him in the infield is First Team All-GLIAC second baseman Sam Clay, a redshirt sophomore who proved to be a sparkplug for the offense. Clay posted a .333 average in 207 ABs with four home runs and 39 RBI while swiping 12 bases, providing a blend of contact and speed essential to Tidey's attack.

The outfield defense will be marshaled by Cody Hultink, a redshirt senior coming off an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection. Hultink was a menace on the basepaths, hitting .311 in 167 ABs with 25 RBI and a team-high 19 stolen bases, which ranked second in the conference. The Panthers will also look for expanded roles from players like Wyatt Epple and Travis Liford, both of whom served as backups last year but are expected to make an impact this spring; Epple notably earned All-Star honors in the Great Lakes Summer League.

To mitigate significant losses in the lineup, Davenport has dipped heavily into the transfer portal. Aiden Warn, a junior transfer from Kalamazoo Valley CC, brings a potent bat that produced a .346 average and .585 slugging percentage across 44 games last year. He is joined by fellow junior Ben Korson, an outfielder from Mott CC who hit .384 with 17 doubles and six home runs in 82 career games there. Perhaps the most intriguing battle in camp has been at shortstop, where freshman Julian Contreras, an All-State selection from Detroit Western International, is vying for the starting job, signaling a bright future for the infield defense.

The Pitching Staff

While the offense retains nearly half its production, the pitching staff faces a steeper climb, returning just over a third of its innings from 2025. The rotation will lean on Austin VanderMarkt, a consistent weekend starter for the past two seasons who earned Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recognition. VanderMarkt posted a 7-1 record with a 3.98 ERA in 61.0 IP, fanning 46 batters and holding opponents to a .262 average. He is joined by senior left-hander Brandon Skorupski, who was a First Team All-GLIAC selection out of the bullpen but may be called upon for crucial innings. Skorupski was electric in relief, managing a 3.60 ERA in 35.0 IP with three saves.

Another arm expected to shoulder a heavier load is Colton Blankstrom, who threw important innings last season and is trending upward this fall. Blankstrom recorded a 4.10 ERA in 26.1 IP, limiting hitters to a .292 average. The staff's depth will be bolstered by a crop of Division I transfers looking for fresh starts. Jeff Agar arrives from Michigan State via Lansing CC, where he struck out 13 in 11.1 innings last year. Sean Knorr transfers in from Central Michigan, bringing experience from 17.1 innings of work with the Chippewas, while Braden LaRusso joins from Texas A&M Corpus Christi, where he struck out 14 in 19.1 innings. Additionally, Jimmy Amptmann, a transfer from Heartland CC, offers proven durability after tossing 26 innings with 27 strikeouts in 2025.

Key Departures

The roster turnover is significant, as the Panthers bid farewell to some of the most decorated players in program history. The exit of Xander Reisbig, the GLIAC Player of the Year, leaves a massive void in the lineup; Reisbig slashed .345/.420/.633 with an OPS of 1.053 in 2025. The pitching staff loses its ace, Keegan Batka, who was named GLIAC Pitcher of the Year before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies. Batka was dominant, posting an 8-1 record with a 3.09 ERA in 84.1 IP and racking up 91 strikeouts. Other notable losses include First Team All-GLIAC utility man Logan Todd and Second Team All-GLIAC selections Coltrane Rubner and Adam Berghorst, all of whom were instrumental in the team's championship run.

Schedule & Outlook

The road to a fourth regional appearance in six years begins on February 13, 2026, when Davenport travels to Nashville, Tenn., to face Rockhurst for a three-game set. The non-conference slate is particularly grueling, designed to test the Panthers' mettle early. Following opening weekend, they head to Johnson City to play Indianapolis, the very team that ended their 2025 season and went on to host a Midwest Super Regional. Late February and early March bring road tests against GLVC heavyweights Quincy and Illinois Springfield, the latter of which reached the GLVC tournament championship game last year.

The most daunting stretch of the pre-conference schedule arrives in mid-March during the team's Florida trip. The Panthers will square off against Tampa, the defending back-to-back National Champions who crushed opponents to the tune of a 55-10 record in 2025. GLIAC play opens at home on March 20 against Roosevelt, but all eyes will be on the late April series against rival Grand Valley State in Allendale. Grand Valley State remains a formidable obstacle, having won 43 games last year and hosted a regional of their own. With a schedule stacked against regional powers and national champions, Tidey and the Panthers are clearly aiming to battle-test their new roster in preparation for another deep postseason run. If you value this in-depth, non-paywalled coverage of D2 Baseball, please consider supporting our independent reporting efforts. Your contribution helps us continue providing free access to all our articles without relying on restrictive paywalls. To support our work, please visit our Patreon page: patreon.com/diviibaseball