Hawks bow out of GLVC Tournament as bullpen struggles lead to back-to-back losses

MARION, Ill. — It took too long for the Quincy University baseball team’s offense to come to life.

Once it did, though, the bullpen couldn’t make a lead last.

The Hawks scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday against Missouri S&T in an elimination game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, taking a 6-4 lead in the process. However, the bullpen surrendered three runs in the top of the eighth inning as the sixth-seeded Hawks were eliminated with a 7-6 loss at Mtn. Dew Park.

Quincy was forced into the elimination game with an 8-0 loss to second-seeded Illinois-Springfield on Friday morning.

The Hawks finish the season with a 26-27 record, marking the program’s first losing season since 2001. It is the second season in a row Quincy has failed to reach the NCAA regionals after a run of eight consecutive NCAA appearances.

The final day of the Hawks’ season began with Prairie Stars right-hander Mark Decicco tossing a complete-game shutout. He struck out seven, walked four and allowed only four hits. Quincy hit into two double plays, didn’t get a runner into scoring position until the sixth inning and didn’t get a runner to third base until the ninth inning.

Left-hander Roman Harrison gave QU a chance as he allowed just two runs over 5 ⅓ innings. However, right-handed reliever David Kelliher walked five, hit a batter, threw two wild pitches and allowed five runs without giving up a hit.

Bullpen issues plagued the Hawks against seventh-seeded Missouri S&T despite sophomore right-hander Kade Ruffner allowing just two runs and six hits over six innings.

Quincy didn’t score until the fourth inning when Joe Huffman scored from first base on JD Ortiz’s single down the right-field line. Jake Vitale’s solo home run in the sixth inning tied the game at 2.

However, Hawks reliever Tim Reinholz allowed the only three batters he faced to reach base to start the seventh inning as he walked two and hit the other. Two of those runners scored despite QU reliever Leyton Parmer retiring three of the four batters he faced.

The Hawks answered in the bottom of the frame with Jake Haggard, Ian Fudge and David Broughton collecting consecutive one-out singles. An RBI groundout by Matt Mateo and back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Harry Fandre and Huffman completed a four-run rally.

It went for naught as Parmer hit two of the first three batters he faced, while also uncorking a wild pitch. Tom Conzemius was summoned from the bullpen and greeted by the Miners’ Bricen Smith, who tripled down the left-field line to drive in two runs. Another run scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Hawks drew two walks in the bottom of the eighth, but left both runners stranded. Huffman singled with two outs in the ninth, but no scoring opportunity materialized.