QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University baseball team opened their weekend series against the Panthers of Drury University with another high-scoring win. The Hawks lineup boomed, eclipsing the double-digit run mark for the 18^th time this season in a 12-5 win to start off the four-game weekend GLVC set.

QU starter Spencer Walker lead off the top of the game by plunking the first hitter of the game. An error on the infield put two runners on before a double play gathered two outs, also advancing the runner to third. The next hitter chopped an infield single up the middle to drive in the first run of the contest.

Chasing a run in their first turn at the plate, Quincy used five straight singles to load the bases, then score two runs before an out was recorded. A leadoff single from Gino D'Alessio, followed by another from Dustin Dupont put two men on for an RBI single from Luke Napleton to left. Lance Logsdon singled to right in the next at-bat, loading the bases for a Nolan Wosman RBI single to left, making it 2-1 after the first frame.

Drury got their leadoff hitter to reach base in the second. A three-pitch dropped third strike put a man on first for a double down the left field line. With two runners in scoring position, a grounder to the right side drove in the equalizer to knot things at 2-2.

Once again, the Hawks answered a DU scoring effort in the top half of the frame with one of their own in the bottom. Adam Lewis leadoff the bottom of the second with a longball to left field. The drive swiftly broke the tie, putting Quincy back on top 3-2 after two.

Walker worked around a pair of base hits in the third by fanning the side. Three of the righthanders eight Ks in the game brought QU back to the plate for the third time.

A two out, two run bomb to right field from Austin Simpson made it 5-2 in the third. After two groundouts, Wosman singled, and was driven in by the two-run homer from Simpson. Zach Parks slapped a double down the right field line but was stranded to end the inning.

Neither side got into the scoring column in the fourth or fifth inning. Walker really started to hit his stride during the stretch. Also working a scoreless top of the sixth inning, the starter used three groundouts in the fourth, a twin killing and a strikeout in the fifth, and a strikeout and two popups to bring QU back to the dish for the sixth.

D'Alessio ripped a double down the right field line to put a man in scoring position with one down. An RBI single from Dupont up the middle in the next at-bat drove in D'Alessio to press the lead further to 6-2. After a DU pitching change, a walk to luck Napleton put men on first and second. Logsdon smacked a single to left to plate Dupont giving Quincy a 7-2 lead after six innings.

Drury found showed some signs of life in the seventh, leading off the inning with three straight singles. The singles, along with a double play, drove in two runs to pull the Panthers back within three runs at 7-4.

As they often do, the Hawks responded to runs from their opponent with immediate runs of their own. A leadoff single from Parks and a sac bunt from Lewis put a man in scoring position with one down. Brock Boynton wore one in the next AB for an HBP to put two men on for a D'Alessio single to load the bases. The second out was recorded on a pop up in foul territory, bringing Napleton to the plate. The catcher walked to drive in a run making it 8-4. In the next at-bat, Logsdon cleared the bases with a single swing. The career homeruns leader added another to the tally in the biggest way with a grand slam. The slam blew the game wide open at 12-4 after seven.

Brett Panick came on in relief for Walker in the bottom of the eighth inning, working a scoreless frame. The Hawks went down in order in the bottom half of the inning, bringing the Panthers to the plate for the top of the final frame. Drury was able to bring in a single run in their last half inning, but the comeback effort came up well short in a convincing 12-5 victory for Quincy.

The Hawks will be back in action again tomorrow, facing off with DU for a pair of GLVC conference matchups at QU Stadium. First pitch for game one of the double header is scheduled for noon.

Stats Leaders:
Lance Logsdon: 3-5, Run, 5 RBIs, HR
Gino D'Alessio: 3-5, 3 Runs
Austin Simpson: 2-5, 1 Run, 2 RBIs, HR
Luke Napleton: 1-3, Run, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks
Spencer Walker: 7 IP, Win, 8 Ks, 2 Walks, 3 ER