QUINCY, Ill. - The Hawks looked to even the score in the rubber match of their series with the Hawks of Rockhurst on Sunday (Mar. 24) and did so in explosive fashion. Fourteen runs crossed the plate with five coming off the bat of
Dustin Dupont alone as QU came away victorious by run-rule with a 14-2 drubbing of RU in seven innings for a split of the four-game set.
Seth West got the call for Quincy and delivered a scoreless first frame, working around a one-out double to set down RU in the top half, bringing his side to the plate for some immediate action in the bottom of the first. A leadoff walk for
David Broughton put a man on for a two run blast from Dupont to make it 2-0 Quincy after two betters.
Rockhurst pushed one of its two runs in the contest across in the second, using a single, wild pitch and double to half the deficit at 2-1. QU answered in nearly identical fashion to the first inning, receiving a free pass in the first AB, this time via HBP, before a
JD Ortiz homer made it 4-1.
The relentless Hawks lineup refused to quit, hanging a seven-spot in the third inning to blow the game wide open. A RBI single for Ortiz plated the first run followed by a two RBI double for
Evan Davis to make it 7-1. Two hitters later, Dupont drove in another pair of runs followed up by an error and a Simpson single to drive in two more and put Quincy in fine shape at an 11-1 score.
West kept the RU hitters at bay for another two frames as part of his five innings of five hit, one run ball to bring QU to the dish for a couple runs in the bottom of the fifth. A double from Simpson and a single to center field for
Cole Erickson furthered the advantage to 13-1.
Rockhurst scratched one across in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a Quincy miscue to score its final run of the series on a single. QU added on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for good measure on a double from Dupont to press the tally to 14-2, where it would stay for the remainder of the ballgame.
Eli Ecton came on in relief in the seventh and retired the side in order to deliver the Hawks the 14-2 winner.
Next Up
QU ventures down to Springfield, MO for a series with the Panthers of Drury University starting on Thursday (Mar. 28). First pitch for game one is slated for 3:00 PM.
