Hawks sweep GLVC weekly pitching honors as Walker, Highbarger are rewarded for shutouts

QUINCY — The last time Spencer Walker worked at least seven scoreless innings, the Quincy University baseball team’s offense put up so many runs there was no need for him to pitch the final two frames.

Last Friday, even with a comfortable lead, the senior right-hander finished what he started.

Walker shut out Saginaw Valley State, guiding the Hawks to a 10-0 victory in the first game of the weekend series at QU Stadium. He held the Cardinals hitless until the seventh inning and allowed just five hits overall, while striking out seven and walking none.

For his effort, Walker has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week.

The Hawks actually swept the Pitcher of the Week honors as Bailee Highbarger, a junior right-hander on the QU softball team, picked up the weekly award after tossing a pair of shutouts last weekend.

This is the second straight week Quincy has swept the Pitcher of the Week honors.

Walker retired the first 13 batters he faced and allowed only one runner who reached on an error through the first six innings. A leadoff single in the seventh was erased on a double play, and a one-out single in the eighth inning was erased on a double play.

Walker, who has allowed just three earned runs in his last 20 innings pitched, improved to 7-1 overall with a 3.06 ERA. He has 60 strikeouts and 18 walks in 70.2 innings.

Highbarger helped the QU softball team finish the regular season with three consecutive victories. 

The Hawks were able to split a doubleheader with Drury in Springfield, Mo., last Saturday as Highbarger tossed a four-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory. She struck out two and walked two, retiring 12 of the final 15 batters she faced.

On Sunday, in a 1-0 eight-inning victory over Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo., Highbarger struck out five and allowed five hits and one walk. She worked around leadoff doubles in both the first and seventh innings and a leadoff single in the second inning.

Highbarger finished the season with a 6-8 record with one save and a 4.33 ERA.