QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University baseball team came from behind in the conference opener against Rockhurst on Sunday (March 10). The Hawks plated three runs in the final half inning to earn a 7-6 GLVC win. 

Play by Play
Rockhurst was first to strike in Sunday's contest. Back-to-back doubles in the first inning gave RU an early 1-0 lead. 

Senior Cody Birdsong evened the score in the bottom of the first. After Chandler Purcell led off with a double, Birdsong also laced a double to left to score Purcell. The score sat at 1-1. 

The visitors came back with a pair of runs in the third inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. The next batter singled to right field which allowed the runners on 2nd and 3rd to score. RU led 3-1. 

Rockhurst added another run in the top of the 4th on a sacrifice fly to push their lead to 4-1. 

Catcher Jeff Hightower quickly cut into that deficit with a lead off home run in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 4-2. 

Starting pitcher Riley Martin threw two scoreless innings in the 5th and 6th, but QU still trailed 4-2 going into the 7th. 

Rockhurst added a pair of runs in the top of the 7th. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with nobody out. A fly ball to right scored the runner on third to make it a 5-2 game. Rockhurst loaded the bases again after a hit by pitch. A fielder's choice on the next batter allowed another run to score and gave RU a 6-2 lead. 

The Hawks got a run back in the bottom of the frame. Nolan Snyder led off the inning by getting to second base on an error by the second basemen. Chandler Purcell brought him in with a single to center and cut the RU lead to 6-3. 

Reliever Karl Hirsch worked a scoreless 8th to bring QU back to the plate. Jeff Hightower hit his second homer of the day with one out to put Quincy down just two runs 6-4.

QU went into the 9th inning down two runs. Hirsch once again tossed a scoreless frame in the 9th to give Quincy a chance to strike one last time.

The Hawks started on the right foot with a lead off single by Nolan Snyder to right field.

Quincy's hits leader, Chandler Purcell, decided to add another timely hit to his senior campaign. The left fielder lifted a ball over the left center wall to tie the score 6-6 with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. 

The next batter, Carter Naughton, reached base on a bobbled pop fly by the left fielder and advanced to second on the mishandled ball. Birdsong grounded out to the third basemen for the first out of the inning. 

First basemen Michael Nielsen was intentionally walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Lance Logsdon advanced both runners with a deep sacrifice fly to center field. 

Jeff Hightower came to the plate looking to be the hero. With two outs, Hightower made contact. It was not his hardest hit ball of the day, but the senior catcher beat out the ground ball to the shortstop which sealed the win in walk-off fashion for the Hawks. Naughton scored from third on the infield single to give Quincy the 7-6 victory. 

Stat Leaders
Jeff Hightower - 4-5, 2HR, 3 RBI
Chandler Purcell - 3-5, 2R, HR, 2B, 3 RBI

Karl Hirsch - 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2K

Hawk's Record
8-2, 1-0 GLVC

Quincy will play Rockhurst in doubleheader action tomorrow (March 11) starting at noon at QU Stadium.