QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University softball team scored twenty runs on twenty-four hits in their doubleheader sweep of Westminster College on Tuesday afternoon (April 6). The Hawks defeated the Blue Jays 12-3 in game one and then got an 8-0 shutout in game two. Both games ended before the full seven innings. 

Game 1
Westminster started Tuesday's scoring with a run in the top of the second then scored two more in the top of the third to capture an early 3-0 lead. This advantage was short-lived as the Hawk bats came alive and put up six runs in the bottom of the third. Taylor Downen hit a RBI double to get QU on the board, the next two runs came in on an error and a wild pitch, then Courtney Kernich brought in two more with a single to center field. Quincy led 6-3 after three.

The Hawks delivered the knockout blow in the fifth when they put up another six-spot. Kari Sarhage brought home MJ Maguire to start the scoring, then Ashley Poore singled to right which allowed two more to come home. QU led 9-3. The rally continued after Audrey Hermann doubled to bring home Poore, then Emma Norton came to the plate and belted a walk-off home run in her first collegiate at bat to cap off a 12-3 victory in game one. Bailee Highbarger got the win inside the circle for QU after striking out five in three innings. 

Game 2 
It was more of the same in game two as QU's bats stayed red hot. Kari Sarhage hit a line drive sacrifice fly to center to get the Hawks on the board in the first. Kernich came in to score and made it 1-0. Sarhage collected another RBI in the bottom of the second when she singled up the middle and scored Kernich again. In the fourth, Taylor Downen smacked a two-RBI single to give Quincy a 4-0 lead. 

The Hawks put things to rest in the bottom of the sixth when a wild pitch brought in a run to make the score 5-0. That was followed by a double to right center off the bat of Courtney Mills, then Audrey Hermann capped off the sweep with a single down the left field line to bring it to 8-0 after six. 

Morgan Tanksley got her first win of the year after she went four scoreless inside the circle. She allowed just three hits, struck out two, and recorded seven fly ball outs. Jayle Jennings came in and worked two clean frames to end the day. 

Combined Stat Leaders
Taylor Downen – 5-6, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 2 RS
Emma Norton – 3-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 RS

Next Game
The Hawks will begin a GLVC home stand on Saturday (April 10) against Lewis University starting at noon.