Kirn, Hawks turn up heat on Bearcats, open weekend series with doubleheader sweep

QUINCY — Of all the unusual pieces to the puzzle the Quincy University baseball program had to maneuver into place to play its Great Lakes Valley Conference series at home this weekend, dealing with the heat wasn’t on the list of concerns.

At least not until gametime.

The 84-degree afternoon temperature at QU Stadium was the second highest of the year in the Gem City and the highest gameday temperature the Hawks had faced this season, warmer even than the seven games played in Florida in February.

“Getting adjusted to the heat in the first inning had me a little jumpy,” junior left-hander Griffin Kirn said. “Then I dialed it back down in the second and locked in.”

He delivered the kind of outing expected from a No. 2 starter, too.

Kirn, a Quincy Notre Dame graduate, allowed one run over six innings while striking out a season-high 10 batters in a 5-2 victory over McKendree in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader. The Hawks won the opener 15-5 behind right-hander Spencer Walker’s complete-game effort.

Kirn was one strikeout shy of his career high of 11, set in his first appearance of the 2022 season against Missouri Western. He hadn’t reached double digits in strikeouts since.

“Earlier in the year, I was missing at times and ending up with a lot of walks,” said Kirn, who improved to 4-1 this season with a team-leading 51 strikeouts. “I worked on seeing things in the bullpen, having my eyes see different spots. That’s been working lately.”

Matching Walker’s effort worked, too.

The senior ace improved to 5-1 as he allowed four earned runs and six hits over seven innings, while striking out five and walking two. Walker benefited from an offense that racked up 19 hits, including six doubles and four home runs.

“Spencer and I are usually talking between innings, talking about hitters and which pitches are working,” Kirn said. “He let me know who to watch out for and how to pitch to certain guys. We’re different pitchers, but we throw very similar pitches at the end of the day.”

Even though both had to alter their home routine, it worked.

Due to issues with McKendree’s field in Lebanon, Ill., the weekend series was moved to QU Stadium, although the Bearcats remained the home team. Adding to the uniqueness of the situation, McKendree was unable to secure a bus, so QU track coach Chris Aschemann drove the Hawks’ bus to Lebanon and brought the Bearcats to Quincy.

“It’s pretty weird,” Kirn said of being the away team in a game played at QU Stadium, the first time the Hawks have done that since the 2016 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional when they lost twice as the away team. “It’s different whenever we’re hitting in the first inning and I’m warming up. You treat it like an away game almost, except you’re sleeping in your own bed and eating your own food.”

The Hawks (26-8, 14-4 GLVC) treated opposing pitchers like they have all season, too.

Gino D’Alessio led off the second game with a first-pitch double down the left-field line, and Austin Simpson followed with an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Luke Napleton doubled to center to put two runners in scoring position.

Lance Logsdon’s sacrifice fly to left field plated Simpson for a 2-0 lead.

“It was a little different leading off,” D’Alessio said. “It gave it a little bit of fall vibes when you’re playing intrasquads. It was a little weird for sure.”

It didn’t matter to D’Alessio. He led off the third inning with a single and scored on Luke Napleton’s home run to right field, giving the Hawks a 5-1 lead. D’Alessio finished 2 for 4 in the nightcap and had three hits in the twinbill.

“It’s the same approach no matter what,” D’Alessio said.

Despite the fireworks QU is capable of — Lance Logsdon, Nolan Wosman, Dustin Dupont and Brock Boynton each homered in the first game with Wosman doubling twice and Logsdon and Boynton each doubling — the Hawks didn’t swing for the fences in every at-bat.

“We didn’t get too big,” D’Alessio said. “We sprayed the ball around a little bit, which was nice. Nos. 1 through 9, we know what we have. When we’re clicking, we’re tough to beat.”

Due to concerns with inclement weather, the Hawks and Bearcats altered the schedule for the remainder of the series and will play a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday.