Westfield, Ind. - The Quincy University softball team rounded out their weekend in the Circle City with a two-game loss to Thomas More University on Monday (Feb. 24). A defensive battle, the Hawks fell short 3-2 and 6-4 to the Saints.
Game One
The Hawks started on defense in game one and caught a Saints' base runner on her pursuit to second for the first out of the game.
Kaelyn Conger struck out her first batter to follow, and the Hawks came away from the first half inning with two Saints stranded on the bases. Both teams battled for an edge in the next three innings, but neither offense could keep the ball in play.
The Hawks finally got their shot around the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Isabella Shields and
Allyson Maynard each got singles, setting up
Alexus Freeman well for some RBIs. Freeman doubled to left, bringing in both Shields and Maynard for the Hawks' first two runs of the day. The Hawks defense kept the Saints' slate clean for the following two innings, taking care of five balls hit in the air, and a 6-3 putout by
Kenzie Moss.
The Saints got busy in the final inning off a two-out rally. Two doubles to the corners brought three runs across the plate, putting the Hawks down one with one more chance to bat. The Hawks looked promising, getting Casey Fronheier on base with a walk, but the Saints' defense snagged two outs to finish the game on top.
Game Two
The Hawks went under in the first inning in game two, the Saints scoring on a sac fly and a single to end the inning. Quincy's defense kept the scorecard clean on a fly ball double play,
Lindsey Fischer making the catch in right field and darting the ball back to Maynard at first to catch the runner.
The Hawks got around in the third inning after Biggerstaff made it to home from first base on a Maynard double. Freeman singled in the next at bat giving the Hawks a runner in scoring position. Quincy kept two on the bags for the remainder of the inning, falling victim to force outs at second and third to end the top of the inning.
Play stayed quiet until the fifth inning when the Hawks tied the score up after Maynard and Freeman each snagged an extra base on a third baseman error. Moss singled to left center, bringing in Maynard for the second run of the game. The Hawks followed up with another run in the sixth inning.
Mykah Hurley drew a walk to open the inning and made her way around to home on Shields's single to left. The Saints were quick to respond to the Hawks' lead, adding three to their tally at the bottom of the inning.
On Quincy's last inning in the box, Freeman singled out to center to get the rally going. Fischer pinch ran for Freeman, stole second, and came all the way around on Moss's single. The Hawks put two more balls in play with Fronheiser and Hurley, but the Saints' defense cleaned it up to end the game.
Emma Stieferman got the start for game two, striking out three and only giving up three earned runs. Freeman led the Hawks with four hits and two RBIs on Monday.
The Hawks look forward to staying local with a four-game set at Illinois Springfield and will face Lake Erie College and Purdue Northwest.
