Evansville, In. – The Quincy University baseball team won both games of a Saturday doubleheader over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. The Hawks hit four home runs on their way to a 5-3 game one win and a 13-2 game two victory.  

Game 1 
The Hawks led off the game with a walk to Chandler Purcell followed by a double to left center from Cody Birdsong. A strike out left runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. 

Catcher Jeff Hightower put the Hawks on the board first with a sacrifice fly that scored Purcell. QU led 1-0. 

USI had an answer in the bottom of the 2nd inning. After a double play by the Quincy defense, the Screaming Eagles were hit by a pitch and put back-to-back singles in play. The second single allowed a runner to come home tying the score 1-1. 

After Southern Indiana's run, starting pitcher Riley Martin settled in. The left-hander retired the next six batters in the 3rd and 4th innings to leave the score at 1-1. 

In the bottom of the 5th inning, the Hawk offense regained the momentum. After the lead off batter was retired, Carter Naughton singled to left field. He soon advanced to 2nd base on a wild pitch, and Nolan Snyder was walked. Runners were on 1st and 2nd with one out. 

Chandler Purcell singled towards the first basemen to load the bases. A strike out made it two outs, but USI walked in two runs which gave QU a 3-1 lead. 

In the next inning, the Hawks extended their lead behind a two-run home run by Nolan Snyder in the 6th inning. It was Snyder's third of the season and it proved to be a decisive one. Quincy led 5-1. 

The Screaming Eagles' offense was able to scratch a couple runs across in the bottom of the 7th. A past ball and an RBI single made the score 5-3. 

Karl Hirsch came in to relieve Martin with two outs in the 6th inning. Martin finished with 6 2/3 innings pitched, one earned run on six hits, nine strikeouts and two walks. 

Hirsch tossed the final seven outs without giving up a hit, a strike out, and two walks. The Hawks held on for the series-opening win 5-3. 

Game 2
The Screaming Eagles jumped ahead first in game two. A one-out single down the right field line followed by a two-out double left runners on second and third. A walk loaded the bases, and USI took the lead with a hit-by-pitch on the next at-bat. The score was 1-0 USI after an inning. 

After quiet innings in the 2nd and 3rd, the Hawk line up came alive. Designated hitter Jeff Hightower led of the 4th inning with a home run to left field which tied the score 1-1. 

Justin Eads singled in the next at-bat but was out at second after a fielder's choice. A foul-out left a man on 1st with two outs. 

Catcher Jacob Kalusniak advanced to second on a wild pitch before a walk to Carter Naughton. With runners now on 1st and 2nd, Josh Rabe put down the double steal as Kalusniak and Naughton advanced safely. 

The move proved beneficial as Nolan Snyder put the ball in play and reached safely on an error by the shortstop. Kalusniak scored to make the score 2-1 QU. 

Snyder stole second before coming home behind Naughton on an throwing error by Southern Indiana's second basemen. The Hawks pushed the lead to 4-1 on the error. 

After scoring four runs on three unearned, the Hawks followed with four more in the 5th inning. Carter Naughton delivered his first collegiate grand slam to put the Hawks ahead comfortably at 8-1. The homer scored Kalusniak, Eads, and Hightower. 

In the bottom of the 5th, starting pitcher Nick Stroud capped off his day on the mound by tagging a runner out at home for the second out in the inning. He retired the next batter with a fly-out and left the game with five innings pitched, one run allowed, three hits, six strike outs, and three walks. 

Chandler Purcell led off the 6th inning with a home run to put the Hawks up 9-1, but Southern Indiana answered with a solo home run of their own to make the score 9-2.

In the 7th inning, TJ Tamaccio laced a two-out double on the first pitch of his at-bat. Shortstop Carter Naughton added another RBI with a single through the left side scoring Tamaccio. QU led 10-2 after seven innings. 

In the 8th, the Hawks delivered the final blow with a three-run inning. Jeff Hightower hit a one-out double to get things started. Justin Eads followed with a walk, and Hightower moved to third on a wild pitch. Jacob Kalusniak loaded the bases after a pitching change and a walk. 

TJ Tamaccio singled up the middle to bring in a pair of runs and make the score 12-2. Nolan Snyder singled down the right field line to bring in Kalusniak. QU led 13-2. 

Andrew Grieshaber relieved Jay Hammel who pitched the 6th and 7th innings. Grieshaber made quick work of the Screaming Eagles as Quincy won game two 13-2 in eight innings. 

Game 1 Stat Leaders
Nolan Snyder - 1-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 RS

Riley Martin - 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 9 K, 2 BB

Game 2 Stat Leaders
Carter Naughton - 2-4, HR (4) GS, 5 RBI, 2 RS, BB
Jeff Hightower - 2-4, HR (10), RBI, 3 RS, BB
Cody Birdsong - 3-5

Nick Stroud - 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 6 K, 3 BB

QU's Record
27-7, 19-4 GLVC

The series is scheduled to continue tomorrow at noon.