QUINCY, Ill. - The Hawks softball team swept McKendree University in their doubleheader Saturday afternoon (April 13). QU won the first game 7-6 with a walk-off home run off the bat of Morgan Heckman and rolled to an 8-1 win in game two.

Play by Play

Game 1

Quincy came out swinging in the first game of the day. The Hawks were first to strike in the bottom of the opening inning.

Courtney Kernich led off with a single to center field and quickly stole second base. Remi Ferguson plated Kernich with an RBI single to give QU a 1-0 lead. Ferguson advanced to third on the play to get into scoring position.

The Hawks used an RBI groundout from Kay Bettendorf and an RBI single by Audrey Hermann to take a 3-0 lead into the second inning.

Sara Demuth kept the Bearcats off the board through the first two innings with three strike outs.

McKendree took their first lead of the game in the third inning. The Bearcats loaded the bases with a double, a walk, and a QU error. The next batter lifted a grand slam over the center field fence to make the score 4-3. The visiting team would add one more run in the inning off of an RBI single to take a 5-3 lead. 

Demuth shut down the Bearcat offense in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings to keep the Hawks in striking distance.

McKendree added to their lead in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to left center. The Bearcats led 6-3.

QU answered in the bottom of the frame. Bettendorf led off with a walk and scored on a Kylie Powers RBI double to right center. Megan Sharpshair plated Powers with an RBI groundout to bring the Hawks within one at 6-5.

Hermann drew a walk and Jessica Poore advanced her to second. Katelyn Gratza came in to pinch-run for Hermann with two outs. 

Senior Dana Walsh came to the plate and roped an RBI double to right center, scoring Gratza. The score sat tied at 6-6 after seven innings of play.

Demuth recorded three outs on nine pitches in the top of the eighth inning to put the bats back in QU's hands.

Morgan Heckman came to the plate in the bottom of the frame with one out. The senior outfielder from Spalding, Illinois launched a walk-off home run over the left field fence to give the Hawks a 7-6 victory.

Game 2

Both teams were silent through the first two innings to start the second game of the day.

Alex DeVaney kept the Bearcats at bay, only allowing two hits through three innings.

The Hawks got on the board with a Kernich RBI single in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead.

McKendree tied the game in the top of the fourth inning. The Bearcats scored their only run of the game off of an RBI single to make the score 1-1.

The Hawks regained the lead in the bottom of the frame with a seven run inning.

Powers and Sharpshair hit back-to-back RBI singles to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead. Poore followed suit with a two RBI single to center field to double the lead at 5-1.

Remi Ferguson drew an RBI walk and Heckman hammered a two RBI double to right center to put QU up 8-1 after four innings.

That score stood as DeVaney cruised the rest of the way, allowing no hits in the final three innings. The Hawks completed the sweep with an 8-1 win.

Game 1 Stat Leaders
Kylie Powers- 2-4, 2R, 2B, RBI
Audrey Hermann- 2-3, RBI
Morgan Heckman- 1-4, R, HR, RBI

Sara Demuth- 8 IP, 6R, 7H, 5K

Game 2 Stat Leaders
Morgan Heckman- 2-4, R, 2B, 2 RBIs
Jessica Poore- 1-2, R, 2 RBIs

Alex DeVaney- 7 IP, 1R, 4H

QU's Record
16-20, 6-12 GLVC

Next up for the Hawks
The Quincy University softball team returns to the Mart Heinen Softball Complex on Monday (April 15) to take on Illinois Springfield. The doubleheader is set for 1 and 3 p.m.