QUINCY, Ill. - The Quincy University softball team is currently 3-1 on its road trip to Florida over the past several days.  

The Hawks picked up a pair of wins on Friday (Mar. 9) over Ashland and Minnesota State- Moorehead.  The Hawks split their games on Saturday (Mar. 10), defeating California (PA.) and falling to Findlay in the second game of the day.  

Game 1

A five-run bottom of the sixth pushed the Hawks past the Ashland Eagles in the first game of the weekend.  Mac Kenzie Collier held the Eagles in check through the first five innings of the game, allowing just two runs.  The Hawks tied the game at 2-2 after an RBI single by Kay Bettendorf scored Remi Ferguson.  

Ashland scored four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 6-2 lead.  

The Hawks offense caught fire in the bottom of the sixth.  QU sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.  The Hawks banged out five hits, scoring five runs to take a 7-6 lead into the seventh.  

Megan Quirk came into the game in the seventh and picked up the save and the Hawks took the game 7-6.  

Courtney Kernich, Remi Ferguson and Raigen Schwartz each collected two hits in the game.  

Game 2

The Hawks continued to swing the bats well in the second game of the day.  The Hawks battled Minnesota State Moorehead in game two.  

After trailing 3-1 after one inning, QU scored six runs in the top of the second to take a 7-3 lead.  

QU had six hits and also reached on an error in the second inning as the Hawks efficiently scored each of the six runs in the inning.  

Minnesota State Moorehead plated two runs in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead to 7-5.  

Both teams went quietly until the top of the fifth.  After a run had already been scored in the frame, Morgan Heckman came to the plate with the bases loaded.  She launched a grand slam over the fence to put the Hawks ahead 12-5.  

The Hawks scored a run in both the sixth and seventh and would hold on for a 14-7 win in the second game on Friday (Mar. 9). 

Heckman finished the game 4-5 with five RBIs and a pair of runs scored. 

Megan Sharshair, Raigen Schwartz, Kylie Powers and Katelyn Gratz each collected multi-hit games.  

Game 3

A walk-off, two-run home run by Remi Ferguson in the bottom of the eighth gave the Hawks their sixth straight win.  The Hawks defeated California University (PA) 7-6.  

The Hawks gave up three runs in the top of the first but plated a run in the bottom of the first as Kylie Powers scored Mogan Heckman on an RBI single.  

California scored again in the second to push the lead to 4-1.  

Heckman deposited a two-run home run to cut the lead to 4-3 after three innings of play.  Heckman tied the game on an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth.  

California scored a run in the top of the seventh and the Hawks would be forced to score to win or send the game into extra innings. 

Dana Walsh led off the inning with a pinch-hit single and was sacrificed to second base.  Walsh then advanced to third on a wild pitch.   

Megan Sharpshair scored Walsh on a sacrifice fly and would send the game into extra innings.  

California scored again in the top of the eighth to take a 6-5 lead.  

Heckman reached on an error by the catcher and Kylie Powers was retired on strikes.  

Ferguson deposited a home run to give the Hawks a 7-6 win over California.  

Game 4 

The Hawks offense was held in check in the fourth game of the weekend.  

QU fell to Findlay 3-2 in the nightcap on Saturday.  

The Hawks held an early 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single that scored Remi Ferguson.  

Findlay scored runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings and would take the game 3-2 over the Hawks.  

QU had added a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game but Findlay's run in the bottom half of the inning proved to be the difference.  

The Hawks are now 8-6 on the year.