CANTON, MO. – The Quincy University softball team was back in action on Wednesday (March 24) for a non-conference showdown with the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton College. The Hawks swept the day with a 1-0 win in game one behind an impressive pitching performance from Bailee Highbarger, and QU also took game two, 4-2, behind three home runs. 

Game 1
Offense was hard to come by in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. Both teams combined for just seven hits and 16 strikeouts in the seven inning contest. Bailee Highbarger was masterful in the circle for QU as she went the distance in a shutout effort while limiting the Wildcats to just three hits. She also struck out eight and hit two batters, but Highbarger kept the ball down on a windy day and gave her infield plenty of action. Outside of the eight punch outs, Highbarger managed to force ten groundball outs and just one fly out, all while staying under 100 pitches in the game. 

This dominant performance kept the Hawks in it, and all they needed was to scratch one across. In the top of the fifth, QU did just that. 

Chelsea Hooker led off the inning with a double, and that was followed by a one-out single from Casey Brennan which put runners on the corners for Quincy. Brennan then stole second to put both runners in scoring position. Madeline Ruzicka did her job in the next at bat by hitting a ball to the right side. Her ground ball to first base gave Hooker enough time to score from third and give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. 

This was all the breathing room Highbarger needed for the remainder of the game as she worked around a lead-off single in the bottom of the fifth after the Hawk defense turned a 4-6-3 double play. She struck out the next batter to move it to the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Highbarger once again worked around a lead off hit by striking out two batters, and Chelsea Hooker three out a runner at second. 

Culver made it interesting in their final at-bat. The Wildcats got the first two batters of the inning on base after a throwing error and a single. Highbarger struck out the next batter and got an infield fly, but hit the next batter to load the bases. A pinch hitter came in off the bench, but the right-hander struck her out on a 1-2 pitch to end the game. 

Game 2
The Hawks' bats came alive in game two. Four of QU's seven hits were for extra bases and three of those hits were sent over the fence. 

Quincy erupted in the top of the third inning by starting off the frame with back-to-back-to-back home runs. Yes, three home runs in a row. Katelyn Gratza led off and hit one out to dead center on a 1-2 pitch. Two pitches later, Audrey Hermann hit one out to center for her first home run of the season. Then, Ashley Gerber sent a 1-1 pitch over the center field fence for her team-leading 13th RBI of the season. QU led 3-0 after three. 

Culver got one back in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 3-1, but Quincy answered right back in the fifth. Bailey Mitchell hit an RBI double to the right field line which brought the score to 4-1. The Wildcats got another run across in the bottom of the frame to make it a two-run game after a sacrifice line out. 

Mac Kenzie Collier settled in and did not allow a base runner past second base for the final two innings. QU held on for the win, 4-2. 

Game 1 Stat Leaders
Bailee Highbarger – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 8 K
Chelsea Hooker – 1-3, 2B, RS
Casey Brennan – 2-2

Game 2 Stat Leaders
Katelyn Gratza – 1-3, HR (1), RS
Audrey Hermann – 1-3, HR (1), RS
Ashley Gerber – 1-4, HR (2), RS
Taylor Downen – 2-3
Mac Kenzie Collier – 7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 9 K, 2 BB

Up Next
The Hawks will be taking their Indiana trip this weekend starting with a doubleheader against USI on Saturday (March 27) then a doubleheader with 11th-ranked Indianapolis.