QUINCY, Ill. - The Quincy University softball team split its last two home GLVC games of the season in a doubleheader against the University of Illinois Springfield Monday afternoon (April 15). The Hawks won game one 10-4 before dropping a nail-biter in game two 4-3.

Play by Play

Game 1

The Prairie Stars used a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early 1-0 lead.

The Hawks responded in a big way in the bottom of the frame. Courtney Kernich reached base on an error by the second baseman and Remi Ferguson advanced her to second with a bunting single. The first two QU batters advanced on a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third.

Kay Bettendorf plated Kernich with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Ferguson stole home after the next pitch to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead. Bettendorf advanced to third on the play from a throwing error by the second baseman. 

Kylie Powers roped an RBI double down the left field line on the next pitch to make the score 3-1. Two batters later, Audrey Hermann hammered a two RBI double to right center field on an eight-pitch full count to extend the lead to 5-1.

UIS put together three singles in a row in the top of the second to cut the lead to 5-2. Dana Walsh threw a strike from center field to gun down a runner at home plate to limit the Prairie Starts to just one run in the inning.

The visiting team added another run in the third inning off of an RBI single to make the score 5-3.

Mac Kenzie Collier settled in after that, holding the Prairie Stars scoreless in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings. She only allowed two hits in the three-inning stretch. 

QU added an insurance run in the bottom of the third. Megan Sharpshair drew a two out walk to get things started.

Hermann came to the plate and delivered her second double of the game, scoring Sharpshair from first. QU led 6-3. 

The Hawks kept the bats going and added two more in the fourth inning. Kernich reached first on an RBI single to put a runner on base for Ferguson. The sophomore from East Peoria, Illinois launched a two-run home run to right center field on the first pitch of her at bat to put the home team up 8-3.

QU poured it on in the bottom of the sixth. The Hawks used an RBI single from Ferguson and a sacrifice fly from Morgan Heckman to take a 10-3 lead.

UIS scored one run in the seventh before Collier recorded the final two outs to give the Hawks a 10-4 game one win.

Game 2

Both teams were silent in the first inning, contrary to the first game.

The Prairie Stars struck first in the top of the 2nd with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead. UIS scored one run in each of the next two innings to extend the lead to 3-0.

Alex DeVaney rolled through the next two innings, only allowing one hit.

The Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Jessica Poore recorded QU's first hit of the game with a double to right center field. Poore came around to score on a throwing error by the third baseman to make the score 3-1.

UIS added the decisive run in the top of the seventh to go up 4-1.

QU did not go quietly. Powers led off the bottom of the frame with a double to left field. She scored on a Sharpshair RBI single. Sharpshair came all the way around to score on the play after a throwing error by the pitcher left the ball in center field on an attempt at second. The Hawks moved within one at 4-3.  

The Hawks were unable to push another run across as the Prairie Stars recorded the final three outs to take game two.

Game 1 Stat Leaders
Remi Ferguson- 3-4, 2R, 2 SB, HR, 3 RBIs
Audrey Hermann- 2-3, 2 2B, 3 RBIs

Mac Kenzie Collier- 7 IP, 4R, 11H, 4K

Game 2 Stat Leaders
Kylie Powers- 1-3, R, 2B
Jessica Poore- 1-3, R, 2B

Alex DeVaney- 7 IP, 4R, 7H, 3K

QU's Record
17-21, 7-13 GLVC

Next up for the Hawks
The Hawks travel to Springfield, Missouri on Friday (April 19) to take on the Drury Panthers. The doubleheader is scheduled for noon and 2 p.m.