Napleton’s home run sets tone for Hawks, Walker slams door shut on opponent yet again

QUINCY — Luke Napleton raised his right hand to ask for time and stepped backward out of the right-handed batter’s box.

The home plate umpire didn’t recognize the Quincy University leadoff hitter’s request and called on a strike on a pitch thrown by Missouri S&T’s Elijah Gross.

Momentarily surprised by the call, Napleton regrouped, stepped back to the plate and quickly made amends, driving the next pitch over the center field wall at QU Stadium for a home run that erased the Miners’ 1-0 lead and kickstarted another offensive onslaught from the Hawks.

Napleton went 3 for 4 as Quincy collected 11 hits and scored in double figures for the sixth time in the last seven games, winning 11-1 in the first of four games in the final Great Lakes Valley Conference series of the regular season.

The Hawks (28-19, 13-8 GLVC) have guaranteed themselves a spot in next week’s eight-team GLVC Tournament and are looking to finish second in the GLVC Blue Division. Illinois-Springfield needs to win one of four games against Truman State this weekend to win the division.

Following Napleton’s game-tying home run, Spencer Walker took over.

The right-hander allowed two hits and an unearned run in the top of the first — the first time he’s allowed a first-inning run since a loss at Lewis on April 8 — but got out of the inning with a double play. He gave up only one hit thereafter, retiring 13 batters in a row at one point and 18 of the final 20 he faced.

Walker struck out eight and walked two, improving to 8-1 overall following his third complete game of the season.

The Hawks took the pressure off him by scoring four times in the second inning and five times in the fifth. Napleton had a two-run single in the second, while Dayson Croes, Gino D’Alessio and Sebastian Martinez each had an RBI single in the sixth.

D’Alessio and Martinez each finished with two hits.