QUINCY, IL – The Quincy University baseball team ended its GLVC opening weekend with a 6-5 win over Lewis and split the series on Sunday afternoon (March 14). 

The Hawks got run support in the first inning for freshman starting pitcher Kobe Essien. Michael Nielsen reached on an error, Zach Parks doubled, and Brock Boynton walked, and QU led 3-0 after the first. The Hawks added another run in the third when Joe Roscetti doubled to drive in Zach Parks. 

Essien threw four scoreless frames, but a walk, error, and two balks knocked him out of the game in the fifth. Essien left with a 4-1 lead, and skipper Josh Rabe gave the ball to Tyler Carpenter. Carpenter allowed a walk, but then got a fielder's choice and strikeout letting just one run come across, and QU maintained a 4-2 lead after five innings. Carpenter provided two and two-thirds of clean relief work for the Hawks and earned the win.

Lance Logsdon singled to center field in the seventh, and Nielsen drove in his team-leading 15th RBI with a single up the middle to extended QU's lead to 5-2 in the seventh. 

The Hawks turned to relief pitcher Brett Taucher in the eighth inning, and the Flyers got two singles and a double to score two runs off the right-hander during the frame. Taucher got a strikeout and pop out to end the threat, as QU clung to a 5-4 lead.

Justin Eads singled and Jacob Kalusniak had an RBI knock to center field which gave the Hawks a much needed insurance run in the bottom of the 8th. 

Quincy led 6-4 and they turned the ball over to Dalton Overstreet to close out the game. Overstreet allowed a run on a double, but ended the game with a strikeout and pop out to earn his third save of the season. 

Stats
Jacob Kalusniak – 2-5, 1R, 1RBI
Dayson Croes – 2-5, 1R
Michael Nielsen – 1-4, 1R, 2RBI
Kobe Essien – 4.1 IP, 0H, 1ER, 2K
Tyler Carpenter – 2.2, 0ER, W

Next
The Hawks will travel to Evansville, Indiana to face Southern Indiana next weekend.