QU baseball team uses timely hitting, stellar pitching to win series opener at Rockhurst

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Quincy University baseball team doesn’t need to hit home runs to win.

Timely hitting and stellar pitching get the job done, too.

Friday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference series opener against Rockhurst at Loyola Park is a prime example. The GLVC’s top hitting offense and the nation’s No. 1 team in home runs managed just five hits — the lone extra-base hit was a double — in winning 4-1.

But Quincy, ranked seventh in the latest NCBWA Division II national poll, took advantage of scoring opportunities in the third and sixth innings, got six solid innings from No. 1 starter Spencer Walker and saw Chase Gockel earn a three-inning save by mowing down Rockhurst.

Trailing 1-0 entering the third inning, Gino D’Alessio singled with one out and Dustin Dupont walked before Luke Napleton fouled out. Lance Logsdon followed with a two-run single to right-center field to take the lead.

In the sixth, Logsdon singled with one out and Nolan Wosman doubled to put both runners in scoring position. Logsdon scored on a wild pitch, and Wosman scored on Austin Simpson’s sacrifice fly.

That was enough for Walker and Gockel. The right-handed Walker allowed one run and six hits over six innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Gockel allowed one hit in three innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Gockel allowed a single to the first batter he faced in the seventh inning and then retired nine straight, including striking out the side in the ninth inning.

Quincy (37-9, 24-5 GLVC) and Rockhurst (13-34, 9-20 GLVC) will play a doubleheader at noon Saturday with left-hander Griffin Kirn and right-hander Kobe Essien the projected starters for QU.