OWENSBORO, KY. – The Quincy University softball team concluded the Blue Bridge Battle on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 27) with two wins on the day. QU defeated Ferris State 12-4 in six innings then defeated Kentucky Wesleyan 14-4 in five innings. 

Game 1
The Hawks struck first in the first game of the day. Courtney Kernich started with a leadoff single. Gerber moved Kernich to third with a single between third base and shortstop and followed with a stolen base. Hooker came up with the first RBI, after she got a base hit that brought home Gerber. QU led 1-0 after one.

Quincy jumped back on the horse in the bottom of the second when Gerber hit a two RBI single that scored Taylor Downen and Kernich. The Hawks led 3-0.

Ferris State got two runs in the top of the third, but Madeline Ruzicka slugged a double to left center that scored Hooker in the bottom of the frame. A few batters later the bases were juiced Jayle Jennings used good situational hitting with a ground ball out to the right side which brought in a run.

Ashley Gerber continued her hot hitting with a two run triple in the next at bat and made the score 7-2, QU.

Ferris hit a leadoff homerun in the top of the fourth to make it 7-3 and added another run in the top of the fifth.

The Hawks answered back with two in the bottom of the fifth. Gerber singled up the middle to score Kernich and Hooker hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring home Jennings. Quincy led 9-4.

Quincy put things to bed in the bottom of the sixth as Kernich had an RBI single followed by a sacrifice fly by Jennings and Gerber hit a ball to the shortstop which allowed Kernich to score and complete the 12-4 win.

Bailee Highbarger pitched all six innings and had six strikeouts.

Game 2
The Hawks offense exploded for nine runs in the top of the fourth against Wesleyan. Kari Sarhage hit her first homerun of the season to start the inning. Chelsea Hooker followed with a double to right field. Ashley Poore and Taylor Downen each had a base hit and Downen's single scored Madeline Ruzicka. Jayle Jennings followed with another hit and brought in two runs. As the Hawks batted around Ruzicka doubled and brought in two more runs. 

After the top of the fourth Quincy led 10-3.

Wesleyan responded with a leadoff homerun on the bottom of the fourth, but the Hawks remained firmly in control.  

Quincy put things to rest in the top of the fifth with four more runs behind RBIs single from Ashley Gerber and Bailey Mitchell. Two batters later, Hooker doubled to bring in another run and make the score 14-4. 

Pitcher Mac Kenzie Collier worked a one, two, three bottom of the fifth to seal the short-game victory.

Next Game
The Hawks will travel to the 5-State Classic in Emporia, Kansas next weekend starting on March 6th (Saturday).