Columbia, Mo. - The Quincy University softball team traveled out to Columbia, Missouri to face the Columbia College Cougars on Thursday afternoon. Despite more action on offense for the Hawks, late bats proved successful for the Cougars, taking game one 14-7 and game two 11-7. 

Game One
Quincy's Kinsey Biggerstaff started off the Hawks in the first inning, sending the ball out to left field for a single. Quincy was retired to defense shortly after, stranding the freshman on first base. The Cougars played well with big hits at the bottom of the inning, generating five runs on three hits. 

Quincy had a two-out rally in the second inning, starting off with an Isabella Shields single. Allison Kaiser and Lindsey Fischer each got on to load the bases, but the Hawks ended the inning with a force out at third base. The Cougars generated more action in the bottom of the inning with three singles and fast baserunners. 

Quincy cut the deficit in half in the next half inning with some big hits from Kenzie Moss and Casey Fronheiser. Biggerstaff started the rally off with a single up the left side. Allyson Maynard hit one far into the left field grass, ending up at second base. Moss brought the two home on an in-the-park home run. Fronheiser hit another ball deep into left field for a triple and came home on a sacrifice fly from Shields. The Hawks only allowed one from the Cougars in the bottom of the third. 

Biggerstaff launched her third hit to left field as well, bringing in Fischer for the Hawks' fifth run. The Cougars found momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning, adding four runs to their side of the scoreboard. Fronheiser helped the Hawks out of the inning with a line drive double play, sending the ball back to Maynard for the tag out at first. 

The left side was hot for the Hawks throughout the seven innings, but particularly in the fifth inning. Moss found a pocket to start the Hawks with a single and was brought home by Kaiser's triple to deep left field. Quincy tried to cut the deficit through the sixth and seventh innings, but strong defense from the Cougars limited the Hawks' chances. 

Game Two 
Quincy found their groove in game two, putting up four runs in the first inning. This time around, the right side of the field was hot for the Hawks. After Shields drew a walk as the lead-off, Biggerstaff, Maynard, and Moss all sent the ball to the right side and garnered hits that resulted in a duo of runs. The Hawks base running pushed through Alexus Freeman's knock into play, bringing Maynard home. Hurley hit a sac fly to center to bring around Moss to round up the four-run inning. 

The Cougars replied with two runs in the bottom of the first and switched up their fielding for the second inning after the Hawks' explosive offense. The second inning brought two more runs in for the Hawks. Quincy had back-to-back singles to center, Moss's bringing Madison Peck home. Hurley drew a walk from the Cougars' new pitcher and advanced Maynard back to home plate as well. 

Quincy added another run early in the third inning courtesy of Biggerstaff's single to center field. Fischer pinch ran for Peck and turned the wheels on from second base to home. The Cougars crept up on the Hawks in the bottom of the inning, scoring four walks on three doubles and took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Quincy tried to come back in the top of the fifth inning when Jessie Marting and Shields were in scoring position, but two quick fielding outs ended the inning early for the Hawks. The Cougars tallied two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win. 

Biggrstaff led the Hawks with five hits on the day, while five other Hawks made contact with the ball. Moss had three RBIs and three runs on the day as well. 

Kaelyn Conger, Kaidence Dumas, and Alexus Freeman split up the first game in the circle while Emma Stieferman started game two and was retired by Conger and Dumas.