PEORIA, Ill. – The Quincy University softball team picked up a pair of wins on Thursday (Feb. 28) over Central Missouri and Emporia State at the Springfield Invitational. The Hawks defeated the Jennies 4-3 then defeated the Hornets 7-6 in game two.
Game 1
After a quiet first inning, the Hawks' bats came alive as
Morgan Heckman and
Remi Ferguson hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead 2-0.
Later on in the inning,
Megan Sharpshair reached on a fielder's choice that scored
Jessica Poore to extend the lead to 3-0.
Alex DeVaney, along with solid defensive play by the Hawks, held Central Missouri scoreless through four innings.
The Jennies scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to just one run at 3-2.
In the bottom half of the inning,
Morgan Heckman scored from second base on a Ferguson single up the middle, and an error on the center fielder allowed Heckman to score easily. This gave the Hawks an insurance run as the lead was pushed to 4-2.
Central Missouri picked up one more run in the top of sixth, cutting the lead to 4-3.
Mac Kenzie Collier came into the game and picked up the save as
the Hawks held on to win 4-3.
DeVaney went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out three.
Heckman and Ferguson each had two hits and an RBI in the game.
Game 2
The Hawks were forced to play comeback in game two against Emporia State. The Hornets rallied for three runs with two outs to capture an early 3-0 advantage.
Megan Sharpshair wasted no time getting Quincy on the board. The junior from Canton, Illinois worked a full count before lifting a home run. This was the only run the Hawks put up in the frame.
Mac Kenzie Collier worked a 1-2-3 second inning to keep the momentum on the Hawks' side. The bats were able to ride that by putting another run across in the bottom of the second.
Freshman
Audrey Hermann made her first collegiate hit memorable as she sent one over the fence. QU went into the third inning trailing 3-2 looking for another quick inning.
After pitching 1 1/3 innings in the first game, Collier was replaced by
Sara Demuth. Emporia State scored two runs off three hits in the frame to move ahead 5-2. After her first inning, Demuth settled in for the Hawks. The senior allowed just one run and four hits in the remaining four innings.
Both teams were held scoreless until the 6th inning. Emporia pushed a run across with a sacrifice fly to make it a lead 6-2.
The Hawks matched the Hornets run with singles from
Courtney Kernich and Hermann. A passed ball allowed the runners to advance, and senior
Dana Walsh took advantage of the RBI opportunity. Walsh's single scored Kernich to make the score 6-3.
A single and three outs led to an uneventful 7th inning for Emporia. Quincy trailed 6-3 in the final at-bat needing four to win.
A lead off out did not make things easy for QU, but with one out, the Hawks battled back.
Morgan Heckman drew a walk, and
Remi Ferguson doubled to score her. The score moved to 6-4 with a runner on second one out.
Jessica Poore reached on an error and Ferguson advanced to third. Kernich sent a single to right field which scored Ferguson and advanced Poore to second. The Hawks were now down just one run 6-5.
A walk to
Audrey Hermann loaded the bases.
Dana Walsh drew a walk in her at bat as the Hawks tied the game with bases loaded one out.
With the infield playing in,
Megan Sharpshair grounded to the second baseman for a fielder's choice play at the plate.
Kay Bettendorf came to the plate with two outs, bases loaded.
In a 1-1 count, Bettendorf walked it off with a single to center. Quincy won game two 7-6.
Game 1 Stat Leaders
Morgan Heckman - 2-3, RBI, HR, 2B
Remi Ferguson - 2-3 HR
Alex Devaney - 5 2/3 IP, 3R, 8H, 3K
Game 2 Stat Leaders
Audrey Hermann - 2-3, HR, 2R, BB
Remi Ferguson - 2-4, 2B, RBI
Sara Demuth - 5IP, 3ER, 2K
The Hawks have two more games tomorrow against Nebraska-Kearney (7 a.m.) and Central Missouri (1:30 p.m.).
