Peoria, Ill. - A cold front at the start of the week pushed the Hawks' earliest home opener indoors against the University of Wisconsin Parkside Rangers on Friday morning (Feb. 14). Efficiency on offense helped the Rangers to 6-0 and 8-0 wins over the Hawks.
Game One
Freshman
Emma Stieferman got her Quincy debut in the circle during the Hawks' season opener, and started her career with a first pitch strike. Parkside's offense started early, and the Rangers got around early off an infield single and sacrifice fly in the first inning. Quincy's bats went around, but the Hawks were retired early on fly outs.
Both teams put up goose eggs in the second inning. Stieferman retired her first batter of her career looking in the top of the second.
The Rangers got their first home run in the third inning. Quincy's
Lindsey Fischer helped the Hawks out of the inning with a caught fly ball and caught line drive, stranding three Rangers on the bases. Quincy fell victim to a double play in the bottom of the inning that kept their side of the scoreboard bare.
The Rangers started off their three-run inning in the fourth with a home run to left field.
Kaelyn Conger came in to relieve Stieferman after 67 pitches and two strikeouts. Conger filled first and second base, but an error at second gave the Rangers two more runs, topping the Hawks 5-0 with three innings to go.
The dome was quiet for the fifth inning. Another home run for the Rangers in the sixth sealed the game. Quincy made contact through both the sixth and seventh innings, but a solid defensive effort from the Rangers shut the Hawks out 6-0.
Conger finished with five strikeouts in three and a half innings for the Hawks.
Mykah Hurley,
Kinsey Biggerstaff and
Allison Kaiser combined for four hits for the Hawks in game one.
Game Two
Kaidence Dumas debuted as the Hawks' pitcher in the second game of the series. Quick base running by the Rangers in the first inning helped them to a 1-0 lead. Hurley started things off well for the Hawks on offense, with a single through the middle. The Hawks were unable to get another hit through the Rangers' defense, finishing the inning down 1-0.
The Rangers' side of the scoreboard exploded in the second inning, courtesy of four hits and a walk. Dumas battled to keep the Rangers at bay, taking at least four batters in the second to over five pitches, but the Rangers found pockets in the Hawks' defense and propelled themselves to a five run lead. The Rangers scored another run in the third inning off two hits.
Quincy's bats got around in the fourth inning.
Allyson Maynard sent the ball to third and reached on an error before
Jessie Martin got on with a fielder's choice. Kaiser tried to help her around with a hit to second, but the Rangers sent the ball to get the lead runner out.
Jersey VanErem retired Dumas at the top of the sixth inning, but not before Parkside finalized their scoring with a two-run homer. Quincy stayed quiet at the bottom of the sixth, sending all contact to the Rangers' mitts.
The Hawks head up to Souix Center, Iowa, for a doubleheader against Southwest Minnesota State followed by two games against Winona State Sunday and Monday.
