Pair of QND baseball products pick up Great Lakes Valley Conference weekly honors

QUINCY — A pair of Quincy Notre Dame graduates showcased their wares on the baseball diamond last week and came away with Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher and Player of the Week honors.

Quincy University sophomore left-hander Griffin Kirn threw a complete-game shutout in a 10-0 victory over Truman State on Saturday in Kirksville, Mo., to earn Pitcher of the Week honors. He struck out seven, walked two and scattered six hits — five of which were singles.

Kirn, a 2020 QND graduate, stranded five runners in scoring position.

This was the first complete-game shutout of his career and improved his record to 4-2 this season. He also lowered his ERA to 4.30 and has 41 strikeouts and 14 walks in 37.2 innings. 

This was the fourth complete game of the season by QU starter and the team’s fourth shutout — the other three were combined shutouts.

Meanwhile, Maryville designated hitter Joey Polak, a 2016 QND graduate, received Player of the Week honors after going 10 for 15 with four home runs, two doubles and 14 RBIs in a four-game series at William Jewell.

Polak also walked three times, reaching base safely in 13 of 18 plate appearances.

In the process, the right-handed hitter broke the Saints’ career home run record, belting his 26th and 27th home runs in the first game of last Friday’s doubleheader. He broke the record of 26 homers set by Dalton Schumer during his career from 2015-18.

This season, Polak is hitting .400 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 38 games played. He ranks sixth in the GLVC in home runs and tied for fourth in RBIs. In his two-season career at Maryville, Polak has 28 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .408 batting average in 73 games.