GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Quincy University baseball saw its early lead slip away Friday afternoon, falling 10–5 to No. 12-ranked Colorado Mesa in the opening game of the series at The Diamond.

The Hawks showed early resilience against the nationally ranked Mavericks, using patience at the plate and aggressive baserunning to build a 3–1 lead in the third inning. After Jace Figuereo and Ben Dahlof both reached single, Quincy capitalized on consecutive wild pitches to plate a run before Joe Huffman delivered a two RBI single to right center to give the Hawks the advantage.

Quincy extended its lead to 5–1 in the fourth inning. Ari Fivelson reached on an error and later scored, while Isaiah Fudge drove in another run with a groundout to give the Hawks early momentum.

Colorado Mesa answered in the bottom half of the fourth, using timely hitting and capitalizing on defensive miscues to score four runs and even the game at 5–5. The Mavericks seized control in the sixth inning when Kolby Felix launched a two-run home run to left center, putting the hosts in front for good. Colorado Mesa added two runs in the seventh and a solo homer in the eighth to extend the margin.

Dahlof led Quincy offensively with a two-hit performance and a run scored. Huffman and Fudge each drove in a run, while Figuereo contributed a hit, RBI, run scored, and a stolen base. Patrick Mendiola added a double as part of the Hawks' six-hit effort.

On the mound, Roman Harrison delivered a solid start, working five innings and allowing two earned runs while keeping the Hawks in control through the early frames. Logan Mueller was charged with the loss, while Jared Rodriguez and Dylan Graw combined to finish the contest in relief.

Quincy moves to 4-1 on the young season and will look to bounce back tomorrow when the Hawks return to The Diamond for a doubleheader against the Mavericks. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:00 PM.