Hawks strand seven runners on base over final three innings in season-opening loss

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The big hit the Quincy University baseball team is known for coming up with eluded the Hawks on Friday afternoon.

One swing by North Georgia made that hurt even more.

After Quincy, ranked 13th in the NCBWA Division II national poll, stranded the bases loaded in the eighth inning and left two runners on in the ninth, North Georgia’s Brady Skipper led off the bottom of the ninth by driving the second pitch from reliever Logan Munroe over the left-center field fence for a 2-1 walk-off victory at Bob Stein Stadium.

The teams will continue their three-game series at noon Saturday.

The Hawks, playing their season opener to kickstart a seven-game road trip, struggled offensively against Nighthawks right-hander Dylan Noce and three relievers. Noce struck out seven while allowing two hits and one run over 6 ⅔ innings. Quincy managed just five hits total and left 10 runners on base.

Seven runners were stranded in the final three frames.

In the seventh, Quincy center fielder Brock Boynton stroked a one-out single and freshman third baseman David Broughton followed by getting hit by a pitch. Noce struck out designated hitter Charlie Allison before reliever Jaret Bales got left fielder Adam Lewis to pop out to the first baseman to end the threat.

In the eighth, Hawks right fielder Jake Vitale led off with an infield single and shortstop Joe Huffman singled through the left side of the infield. After catcher Dustin DuPont laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners, the Nighthawks intentionally walked first baseman Austin Simpson to load the bases.

Freshman second baseman Evan Davis struck out swinging and Boynton fouled out to the third baseman to end the frame.

In the ninth, QU pinch-hitter Cole Erickson singled through the left side of the infield with one out, and after Lewis struck out, Vitale walked. Huffman struck out swinging to end the inning. Quincy struck out 10 times overall.

The lack of offense spoiled a stellar start by junior left-hander Griffin Kirn. The Quincy Notre Dame graduate allowed one run, one walk and seven hits over seven innings, striking out four in a 93-pitch effort. Munroe worked a scoreless eighth inning before giving up the walk-off home run.