KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Hawks have clinched their 14th straight GLVC Tournament berth with a doubleheader sweep over Truman State on Saturday (May 3). The Hawks' pitching dominated the Bulldog's lineup, holding them to just six hits and three runs across 14 innings, as Quincy concluded the regular season with 6-3 and 6-0 wins.
 
GAME ONE
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Hawks found themselves trailing 2-0 early. A run-scoring double and an RBI fielder's choice gave the Bulldogs a lead after two innings of play.
 
It was not until the fourth inning that the Hawks got the offense going. One swing of the bat from the QU shortstop Joe Huffman tied the game up at two with a big fly to center field, Huffman's 11th home run on the season. The Hawks took the lead in the same inning after a high throw from the Bulldog's second baseman allowed the third run of the inning to score.
 
With Quincy leading 3-2 heading to the fifth inning, two more runs came to the plate for the Hawks. Despite two quick outs to open up the frame, Huffman began the rally with an infield single to the third baseman, followed by a single up the middle from Vitale. With runners at the corners, the first run came in via a wild pitch, and in the same at-bat, Evan Davis smoked a 3-2 pitch past the diving shortstop of the Bulldogs to extend the lead to 5-2 after five frames.
 
Truman State chipped into the three-run deficit with a no-doubt solo home run in the sixth inning over the right field wall. Heading into the final frame, QU added an insurance run to get the lead back up to three after Byron Blaise drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run.
 
Hawks starter Kyle Manship was great through the first six frames, and with his efficiency throughout the game, Coach Matt Schissel sent him out for the seventh. Looking to hold a 6-3 lead, Manship made quick work of the Bulldogs, setting them down 1-2-3 and punching out the final batter of the game.
 
With a victory in game one, the Hawks clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament. Quincy rallied behind Manship, who tossed his first career complete game and earned his fourth win of the season. On 93 pitches, Manship surrendered three runs on four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. For the third straight game, the offense did enough to win despite the top three batters in the order combining to go 0-12. The rest of the lineup put together eight hits and drew four walks, led by Vitale and Huffman, who each had two-hit performances. 
 
GAME TWO
 
The Hawks struck first in game two after both teams came up empty in the first inning. Vitale continued his hot day at the plate with a leadoff double, and Cole Erickson drove him in a single lined into the right-center gap, giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead through two innings.
 
The offenses were both held quietly through the first four innings, with the lone run belonging to the Hawks, but Quincy blew the game open with a four-run fifth inning. The offense got started courtesy of a bases-loaded walk to Harry Fandre, who was credited with his 22nd RBI of the season. Two batters later, the Hawks had their lone hit of the inning, which belonged to Vitale, who drove in two with an opposite-field single to left field. The inning concluded with a sacrifice fly from JD Ortiz to make it 5-0 Hawks.
 
With QU looking for insurance in the sixth inning, Isaiah Fudge delivered with a solo home run in the sixth inning. The offense continued to stay steady for the Hawks, but the story of game two was Kade Ruffner.
 
Ruffner tossed his best game of his collegiate career, and it came at a great time, clinching the sixth seed in the GLVC Tournament. Ruffner threw a complete game shutout, only throwing 71 pitches, where he gave up two hits and one walk and tied his career-high win with nine strikeouts.
 
Quincy put it all together in the final series of the regular season. The Hawks outscored the Bulldogs 26-8, outhit TSU 36-23, and only made three errors defensively, with all three coming in game one. Vitale was the star offensively in the series, going 8-14 with three doubles, five RBIs, and three runs scored. Fudge also had an eight-hit series out of the leadoff spot, blasting two home runs to go along with three doubles and six runs scored.
 
The Hawks will take the series sweep into the GLVC Tournament as the sixth seed. The opponent is yet to be determined, as there are games in the GLVC that have yet to be completed. It will be the Hawks's 21st appearance in the GLVC Tournament and the program's 14th straight, dating back to the 2011 season. Quincy will look to bring home hardware for the sixth time in program history, and they will have to do it as an underdog.