Blue Devils erupt for 10 runs in first inning, hand Galesburg softball team 27th consecutive defeat

QUINCY — What a difference a day makes.

To fully appreciate Quincy High School’s 13-3 Western Big 6 softball victory over Galesburg on Tuesday, just consider what the Blue Devils had experienced the day before — an identical 13-3 pounding at the hands of arch rival Quincy Notre Dame.

QHS coach Anjay Heinecke said her club was anxious to return to the field following the loss to QND to make up for what was a rather demoralizing defeat.

“I could sense it in pregame warmups,” the first-year coach said. “The girls were ready to play. There was an energy you could feel.”

The Blue Devils wasted little time making amends for their 12th straight loss to QND the night before.

Quincy all but iced the game in its first at-bat, sending scoring 10 runs and sending 16 batters to the plate. The game was eventually halted after 4 1/2 innings due to the 10-run rule.

“That first inning helped a lot,” said QHS freshman catcher Maggie Neally, who collected a team-high three hits and fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Neally, who deservingly bats cleanup for Quincy, is hitting .460 with three homers in her rookie season. She admitted to feeling quite a bit of pressure early in the year, but she credited the team’s upperclassmen for their leadership and ability to assist younger players like herself adjust to varsity ball.

“I was just trying to figure out how to help (earlier in the season),” Neally said. “I was nervous back then, but I feel a lot more comfortable now.”

Heinecke has enjoyed watching Neally develop this season.

“Maggie is really seeing the ball well, and it’s enjoyable to watch her hit like we know she can,” Heinecke said. 

The victory improved Quincy’s overall record to 6-13 and its Western Big 6 mark to 2-7. 

Galesburg, in the midst of another long season, fell to 0-22. It has dropped 27 games in a row dating to last season and given up 10 or more runs in 19 of its defeats. Quincy won the first meeting between the two schools earlier this month 9-1, and it now shows four straight victories over Galesburg. The Silver Streaks are 9-98-1 over their last 108 starts.

Mia Ellefritz, Avary Hlubek and Ari Adorno each put together two-hit performances for QHS, which racked up 12 hits in only four innings.

Ellefritz, Neally and Adorno all lashed triples, but it was the three-bagger from Ellefritz — a deep shot to right field — that came the closest to leaving the park.

Ellefritz, a sophomore outfielder, said what was more important than her triple — which, by the way, she felt was going to be a homer — was the victory that helped erase the memories from the night before.

“Yeah, this win was important, especially after Monday night,” Ellefritz said. “Our first inning took off the pressure, and we were able to regain our confidence with that big, early lead.”

Heinecke said Ellefritz is another of the younger Blue Devils who has continued to improve as the season unfolds.

“Mia is really coming on at the plate,” Heinecke said. “It’s nice to see her face light up.”

Carlee Gilker was the winning pitcher for QHS. The right-hander limited Galesburg to three hits and one earned run (QHS committed four errors). She struck out four and did not walk a batter.