Hawks’ rally falls short in regular-season finale, turn attention to GLVC Tournament

QUINCY — The Quincy University baseball team’s seed for the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament wasn’t going to change with the outcome of Sunday’s regular-season finale.

Only the vibe the Hawks carry into the postseason could be altered.

A 12-11 loss to Missouri S&T at QU Stadium didn’t totally change that thanks to an offense that continues to produce and a late-inning rally that shows the Hawks are never out of the fight.

The Hawks scored in each of the final three innings, including getting a two-run home run from Kade Burns as part of a three-run ninth inning, but the bullpen never stopped the bleeding to keep the Miners from extending the lead.

Missouri S&T scored in each of the last four innings, including twice in the top of the ninth, to never allow Quincy to regain the lead.

After celebrating Mother’s Day and Senior Day during pregame ceremonies, the Hawks needed until the second inning to find their footing offensively. Trailing 2-0, Sebastian Martinez delivered an RBI single and Burns belted a three-run home run — the senior’s first of his career — to left-center field.

After the Miners scored three times in the top of the third, the Hawks answered with Joe Roscetti smacking an RBI triple and Burns driving him in with a single as Quincy took a 6-5 lead.

Missouri S&T tied the game with a run in the sixth, took the lead in the seventh and extended it to a 10-7 advantage in the eighth. QU second baseman Dayson Croes, whose family made the trip from Aruba, hit a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the eighth to make it a two-run game, but the Miners capitalized on a bunt single to drive in a run and a bases-loaded hit batter to push the lead to 12-8.

After Burns’ home run in the ninth made it a one-run game, Brock Boynton was hit by a pitch to get the tying run on base, but Luke Napleton fouled out to end the game with Missouri S&T catcher Braden Mahurin making a diving catch up the third-base line.

Burns finished 3 for 5 with six RBIs, while Croes, Roscetti, Boynton and Zach Parks each had two of the Hawks’ 13 hits. Each of Quincy’s four pitchers allowed at least two runs.

The Hawks finish the regular season with a 30-20 record and a 15-9 GLVC record. As the No. 2 seed out of the GLVC Blue Division, they will face Lindenwood, the No. 3 seed in the Green Division, at 9 a.m. Thursday in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.