Offense struggles as Gems get swept in twinbill by Lucky Horseshoes

QUINCY — The Quincy Gems wasted a sterling start in the first game of Friday’s Prospect League doubleheader against Springfield.

They couldn’t overcome a rocky start in the nightcap.

After scratching out a 2-1 victory in the opener despite collecting just three hits off Gems right-hander Brayden Haug, the Lucky Horseshoes tagged Gems starter Jax Howard for six runs in the top of the first inning of a 9-2 victory to complete the sweep at QU Stadium.

Haug struck out eight, walked none and allowed just three hits and one unearned run in the the first game.

The Gems snared the lead in the bottom of the first as Andrew Fay led off with a walk, took second with one out on a balk and scored on Zack Stewart’s double to right-center field.

The Lucky Horseshoes tied it in the third when an error allowing the leadoff runner to reach safely resulted in a run as Springfield collected back-to-back one-out singles. In the fifth, a hit batter, a stolen base and a one-out single pushed across Springfield’s go-ahead run.

The Gems had a chance to tie the game in the seventh as Luke Napleton led off with a single, but he was stranded there.

In the second game, a walk and a throwing error led to Springfield’s first run. A wild pitch moved another runner into scoring position, and a hit batter with two outs opened the floodgates. The Lucky Horseshoes strung together three consecutive RBI singles, had Alex Wade steal home and capped the six-run outburst with Cade Hennemann’s RBI double.

The Lucky Horsehoes tacked on a run in the fourth and two more in the seventh as part of a 10-hit effort against two Gems pitchers.

Quincy got a Jayden Shafer sacrifice fly for a run in the second and a Lucas Loos RBI single with two outs in the third, but the offense did little thereafter, The Gems were limited to four hits in the nightcap and just eight in the twinbill.