WINTER HAVEN, Fl. - The Quincy University softball team dropped a pair of games by a combined total of four runs on Saturday (Mar. 7) morning. The Hawks pushed Ohio Dominican to 12 innings in game one, but came up just short, falling 6-5. QU followed with a 3-0 loss to Bridgeport in the second game of the day.
Ohio Dominican 6, Quincy 5
The first game of the day saw an early morning pitchers' battle between the two teams.
Morgan Tanksley and the Panthers Cameron Barber and their defenses retired batter after batter, as both teams combined for just seven hits in the first seven innings.
Tanksley was firing on all cylinders, allowing just four hits and striking out five in seven innings of regulation. The Granite City, Illinois native did not let any ODU batter get farther than second base during that span.
The Hawks and Panthers needed 12 innings to determine the outcome of Saturday morning's game, and the offensive attack came alive for both sides in extras.
Per the rules of the game, a runner is placed on second for each team before their respective at-bats in extra innings. ODU used this to their advantage in the eighth inning, as the Panthers were able to score their runner after a QU error to go up 1-0.
The Hawks responded in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game.
Casey Brennan was placed on second base and was brought in with a two-out RBI single from
Chelsea Hooker.
Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings as they moved to the eleventh still tied at 1-1.
ODU put the pressure on the Hawks in top half of the inning, scoring three runs on two hits to take a 4-1 lead.
Once again, Quincy was calm in the clutch.
Kari Sarhage got things started with an RBI single that scored Hooker.
Taylor Downen followed with a double down the right field line to put runners at second and third.
Audrey Hermann stepped into the box next and hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to plate Sarhage and advance Downen to third.
The Hawks found a bit of luck as they were down to their final out.
Katelyn Gratza put the bat on the ball and Downen was able to score after a fielding error at third base to tie the contest at 4-4.
ODU retook the lead in the top of the twelfth, scoring two runs on two hits.
Ashley Poore scored in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI line out by
Ashley Gerber, but the Panthers recorded the final out to thwart the Hawks comeback. QU dropped the hard-fought game 6-5.
Bridgeport 3, Quincy 0
The Knights jumped on the Hawks early on in game two. BU plated two runs on three hits in the first two innings of play.
Jayle Jennings settled in and held the Knights scoreless in the third and fourth.
QU's best chance to score came in the top of fifth inning. The Hawks placed runners on second and third with one out after a wild pitch, but the Knights recorded the next two outs to keep Quincy off the board.
The Hawks were unable to get anything going in the last two innings, as they fell by a final score of 3-0.
Game 1 Stat Leaders
Chelsea Hooker - 2-6, R, RBI
Casey Brennan - 2-4, R
Morgan Tanksley - 12 IP, 9H, 6R, 6K
Game 2 Stat Leaders
Ashley Gerber/
Aubrie Dodd - 2-3
Jayle Jennings - 6 IP, 8H, 3R, K
Up Next
QU will enjoy a day off before returning to the diamond on Monday (Mar. 9) to take on Lake Erie at 10:15 a.m. (ET) and Glenville State at 12:30 p.m. (ET).
