Hawks’ Kirn receives GLVC Pitcher of the Year honor, while Broughton is league’s top freshman

QUINCY — Griffin Kirn proved unbeatable in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. David Broughton became the tone-setter for one of the GLVC’s hottest teams.

The league’s coaches couldn’t ignore either player’s success.

Kirn, the Quincy University baseball team’s left-handed ace, was named the GLVC PItcher of the Year on Tuesday night by a vote of the league’s coaches, while Broughton, who has started all 50 of the Hawks’ games on the infield, was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year.

A Quincy Notre Dame graduate, Kirn is the third QU player to be named the league’s top pitcher, joining Brandon DeJaynes in 2003 and Riley Martin in 2021. 

In nine GLVC starts, the redshirt junior went 6-0 with a 3.04 earned run average. He ranked second in the league in strikeouts with 69 over 53 ⅓ innings. He allowed the second fewest runs (18) and ranked fourth in opponent batting average (.224).

Overall this season, Kirn is 7-1 with a 2.79 ERA over 71 innings. He has 85 strikeouts and has allowed just 22 earned runs. His 85 strikeouts are tied for the ninth most in a single season in program history.

In his three-year career, Kirn is 21-8 overall with 244 strikeouts, which is second in program history.

Broughton, a true freshman from St. Louis, opened the season as the Hawks’ starting third baseman and has played either second or third base every game since. He owns a .357 batting average with a .476 on-base percentage — both rank among the top 20 in the league — and has scored 59 runs, which ranks sixth.

He has 11 doubles, six home runs, 34 walks and 26 RBIs. During the Hawks’ last 12 GLVC games, in which they won 11, he hit. 385 with 17 runs, 14 RBIs, three doubles and two home runs.

Broughton is the second QU newcomer to be named the GLVC Freshman of the Year, joining Hall of Fame outfielder Josh Rabe, who was honored in 1998.

QU redshirt junior first baseman Austin Simpson and senior utility player Dustin DuPont joined Kirn on the All-GLVC first team. Simpson is hitting a team-leading .425 with 15 doubles, 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. He’s also drawn a team-high 44 walks. DuPont is hitting .337 and leads the Hawks with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.

DuPont also was named to the All-GLVC second team as a catcher. Broughton was a second-team selection as well.

Senior right-handed starter Kobe Essien was an honorable mention selection. Essien is 4-4 with a 5.74 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 53 ⅓ innings.

William Jewell shortstop Alex Epp was the unanimous choice for GLVC Player of the Year and Indianapolis coach Al Ready was tabbed the Coach of the Year.