Hawks Claim Two Wins in Florida

The Quincy University softball team rebounded from a rough Tuesday to pick up a pair of in-region wins on Wednesday (March 3) at The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.
The Hawks (3-3) opened the day with a 4-3 win over Kentucky Wesleyan before wrapping up a 6-2 win over Tiffin in the nightcap.
Most of the offense came early in the win over the Panthers as Quincy scored three unearned runs in the first inning. Both teams committed four errors, accounting for six unearned runs in the game.
After junior Lindsey Greene reached on an error to put two runners on with two out before senior Samantha Ledbetter ripped a two-run triple to open the scoring. Freshman Kylie Powers followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 3-0.
Another two-out rally came in the second inning as junior Kaylee Jones drew a walk before back-to-back singles by freshman Jackie Farbak and senior Rachel Scrum loaded the bases. Greene then delivered an RBI single to give QU a 4-0 lead.
The Panthers (1-13) scored three in the third inning as junior Tiffany Harbison, coming off a no-hitter in her first start of the season, struggled with command. Head coach Carla Passini called on sophomore Meghan Quirk to finish the inning and escape further damage.
Both teams had base runners in every inning for the rest of the game, but Quirk and KWC pitcher Casey Smith kept the scoreboard blank. Quirk pitched around a two-out double to preserve the win.
Quirk (1-1) picked up the win, allowing four hits and one walk in five shutout relief innings. She struck out five batters.
Farbak reached base three times with two hits and a walk. Both teams finished with seven hits apiece.
In the second game of the day, the Dragons (3-5) opened the scoring with an unearned run in the first inning off QU freshman starter Kristen Skala.
The Hawks stranded three runners over the first two innings before taking the lead in the third. Jones and Farbak led off the inning with singles. Two batters later, Greene powered a three-run home run to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead. It was Greene’s first home run of the season.
In the fourth, Jones and senior Rebecca Powers scored on a single by Scrum that stretched the lead to 5-1.
Meanwhile, Skala kept the Dragon lineup off-balance, allowing just four hits in the complete game effort.
TU got a run back in the sixth, but Quincy closed the scoring in the bottom half of the inning when Greene drew a bases-loaded walk for her fourth RBI of the game.
Skala (1-1) allowed just one earned run in seven innings, striking out three and walking five. Jones went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Farbak managed two more hits. She leads the team in hitting at .444 through six games.
The Hawks will relax in the Florida sun on Friday (March 4) before returning to the diamond on Saturday (March 5) when they take on Saint Rose and Charleston.