Kirn, Hawks take advantage of coming home to earn first victory of season

QUINCY — Welcome home.

After enduring a seven-game losing streak on its season-opening road trip and falling out of the NCBWA Division II Top 25, the Quincy University baseball team used Friday’s home opener as a fresh start and took advantage of the comfortable confines of QU Stadium.

Junior left-handed starter Griffin Kirn threw 6 ⅓ scoreless innings and first baseman Austin Simpson blasted a pair of solo home runs as the Hawks led from start to finish in a 5-1 victory over Davenport.

“Getting in the win column helps so much,” Kirn said. “Going 0-7 was kind of demoralizing. We were trying to ride a high on that trip, and it turned out being a low. Today, getting that first win in our own barn, that always helps.”

Coming home truly changed everything.

“It was kind of a breath of fresh air for everyone,” QU coach Matt Schissel said.

Kirn took advantage of it, as did the offense.

Kirn, a Quincy Notre Dame product, struck out two in the top of the first inning, including sitting down Davenport clean-up hitter Carson Price after giving up a two-out double.

“All of my stuff was working well in the bullpen,” Kirn said. “It all just came together. … I commanded the zone really well, and I threw all three pitches for strikes. I finally got some swings and misses. I was just going in there and trying to compete in the zone.”

He benefited from pitching with a lead for the first time this season as well.

The Hawks scored twice in the first inning, getting back-to-back RBI singles from JD Ortiz and Joe Huffman. In the second inning, Adam Lewis led off with a double, took third on Connor Simons’ groundout and scored on a passed ball.

Simpson did the rest. The junior slugger belted a solo home run leading off the third and crushed a two-out solo home run in the seventh.

“Scoring first always helps,” Kirn said.

That was more than enough for Kirn. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out 11 and exiting in the seventh inning without allowing a run. 

“When we needed our Friday guy to be the Friday guy, he stepped up and he did it,” Schissel said. “He did everything we asked of him, and he was awesome. He gave us a chance.”

The swings and misses Kirn produced were a welcome sight.

“He really took that upon himself to strike some guys out and finish guys himself,” Schissel said. “He was getting ahead in the count and finishing off hitters. The couple of hits that were scattered, he was able to strike the next guy out and get out of it.”

The teams will continue their four-game series with a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday. Freshman right-hander Kade Ruffner and senior right-hander Kobe Essien are expected to start for the Hawks.