SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Quincy University baseball team fell to Wayne State University in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament Thursday afternoon (May 16). The Hawks comeback fell short as the Warriors took the game 8-6.

Play by Play

Both teams saw a scoreless first inning as Riley Martin pitched his way out of a bases loaded jam to get the Hawks out of trouble.

Quincy struck first in the opening round of the Midwest Regional. Jacob Kalusniak drew a lead off walk to start the second inning and TJ Tamaccio followed with a single up the middle.

Nolan Snyder scored Kalusniak with an RBI groundout to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. Joe Roscetti backed that up with his second hit of the day in the form of an RBI single to center field to plate Tamaccio and put QU up 2-0.

The Warriors got one back in the bottom of the third inning. Wayne State hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases. A fielder's choice double play got the home team on the board. QU limited the damage and still led 2-1 after three innings of play.

The Hawks were unable to get anything going offensively in the fourth inning.

Wayne State retook the lead in bottom of the frame. The Warriors loaded the bases for the third time and scored on an RBI single to the right side. 

The score sat tied at 2-2 and head coach Josh Rabe went to his bullpen. Riley Martin went three innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a strikeout.

Right-hander Dalton Overstreet entered the game and forced a groundout, but the Warriors pushed a run across to take a 3-2 lead. Overstreet recorded the next two outs to thwart the Warrior threat and bring the Hawks back to the plate.

The Hawks responded in a big way in the top of the fifth.

With two on and one out, Jeff Hightower launched his team-leading 14^th home run of the season to left field. The three-run shot put the Hawks back up 5-3.

The Warriors answered back in the bottom of the sixth. Wayne State scored five runs off five hits and one QU error to take back the lead 8-5.

The Hawks got one back in the top of the seventh as Cody Birdsong scored off an error by the right fielder. QU trailed 8-6.

Karl Hirsch shut down the Wayne State offense in the 7^th and 8^th to give QU a chance during their last at-bat.

The Hawks were unable to draw any closer in the top a ninth as a double play and a strikeout ended the game.

Stat Leaders
Joe Roscetti - 3-5, R, RBI
Jeff Hightower - 2-4, R, HR, 3 RBIs

Riley Martin - 3 IP, 3R, 7H, K

QU's Record
32-19

Next up
The Hawks will play the loser of Illinois Springfield and Drury tomorrow (May 17) at 3:30 p.m.