Super regional primer: Top-seeded Hawks chasing World Series berth against Greyhounds

Two of Quincy University's record-setting hitters — Gino D'Alessio, left, and Luke Napleton — leads the Hawks into the best-of-three Midwest Super Regional against Indianapolis beginning at 3 p.m. Friday at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A Great Lakes Valley Conference baseball program is guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Division II World Series for the third consecutive season and the seventh time in the past nine seasons. Will it be the team of destiny or the ultimate underdog? A best-of-three series taking place at QU Stadium will decide…

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Hawks’ Napleton becomes fourth QU standout to be named Midwest Region Player of the Year

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton has been named the Midwest Region Player of the Year, become the fourth Hawk in program history to receive the honor. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Luke Napleton’s historic season has him in line for All-American honors. The Quincy University junior catcher was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association’s Midwest Region Player of the Year and a first-team all-region selection, which makes him eligible for All-American consideration. QU coach Matt Schissel was named the Midwest Region Coach of…

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Super duper: Hawks score six times in first inning to extinguish Timberwolves’ hope, advance to super regional

The Quincy University baseball players celebrate after the final out in Saturday's 9-0 victory over Northwood to advance to the NCAA Division II Midwest super regional. | Photo courtesy Denny Sinnock, QU athletics

QUINCY — Eight innings remained, but any hope Northwood had of stymying the steamroller better known as the Quincy University baseball team evaporated after a single frame. The Hawks weren’t surrendering a six-run lead. Not one game from reaching the super regional. Not with Jay Hammel in control on the mound. And certainly not at…

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Hammel’s first-pitch dominance takes pressure off bullpen, shuts down Timberwolves

Quincy University right-hander Jay Hammel delivers a pitch during Saturday's game against Northwood in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at QU Stadium. | Photo courtesy Olivia Kindt, QU athletics

QUINCY — A walkie talkie hangs from the netting stretched around the Quincy University baseball team’s dugout and always within Hawks coach Matt Schissel’s reach. It’s how he communicates with the bullpen during a game. Saturday, he hardly touched it. Right-handed starter Jay Hammel alleviated any pressure on Schissel and the bullpen during the final…

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‘Do your job’: Simple premise leads to extraordinary results as Hawks move one victory closer to super regional

QUINCY — It’s a philosophy so basic it comes across as too simple at times. “Everybody does their job,” Luke Napleton said, “and the team wins.” The Quincy University catcher can point to Friday’s performance against Northwood as the perfect example of that. The top-seeded team in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional received a…

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Kirn’s bulldogged performance is further proof nothing can knock Hawks down for good

Quincy University left-hander Griffin Kirn, left, stretches to help alleviate the pain after getting hit just below the rib cage with a line drive during the third inning of Friday's game against Northwood in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Griffin Kirn could have snuck away to the bathroom or a corner of the dugout at any point during the final two innings Friday to see just what kind of mark was left by the line drive that hit him squarely below the rib cage on his left side. He didn’t bother. It…

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Napleton gets back in power groove, breaks GLVC single-season home run record with two dingers

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton, left, and pitcher Joe Byers celebrate on of Napleton's two home runs during Friday's NCAA Division II Midwest Regional victory over Northwood at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Going 20 at-bats without hitting a home run may not seem like much of a drought, but Luke Napleton knew he had taken several swings since his last blast. None of them felt like the right rhythm. “I’ve been rolling over the past few games, being a little early,” the Quincy University catcher…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team beats Northwood to move one win from super regional

From left to right, Troy Logsdon, Brad Boynton and Chris Kirn celebrate Quincy University left-hander Griffin Kirn ending the seventh inning of Friday's NCAA Division II Midwest Regional victory over Northwood with a strikeout. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — As each day passes, the Quincy University baseball team moves a step closer to its ultimate goal. Saturday, the Hawks can take a leap forward. They will face Northwood at noon Saturday at QU Stadium, needing to win just once to capture the regional title and advance to the super regional. The top-seeded…

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Marinara muscle: Full-scale Italian meal fuels Hawks’ power surge in Midwest Regional opener

Quincy University leadoff hitter Gino D'Alessio, left, celebrates one of his his three home runs Thursday with third-base coach Chandler Purcell as the Hawks eliminated Wayne State with an 18-8 victory. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Paul D’Alessio decided he needed to fuel the Quincy University baseball team with some Italian power this week. So Tuesday, he assembled the kind of feast a loving nonna would serve to her family at Sunday dinner. Pasta, meatballs, sausage, chicken cacciatore, etc. It was the kind of meal where you wipe the…

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Photo gallery: QU, Northwood win on opening day of NCAA Division II Midwest Regional

Quincy University right-hander Spencer Walker catches a throw back from catcher Luke Napleton during Thursdays game against Wayne State in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Two teams that have gone head-to-head in NCAA Division II regional play twice before with try to eliminate each other once again. The top-seeded Quincy University baseball team and fifth-seeded Northwood both beat Wayne State on Thursday on the opening day of the Midwest Regional at QU Stadium. The Timberwolves scored three times…

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Position of power: Wosman returns to seeing barrel meet ball, crushes pair of homers for Hawks

Quincy University's Nolan Wosman. left, celebrates one of his two home runs Thursday against Wayne State with teammates Austin Simpson, center, and Lance Logsdon during the Hawks' 18-8 victory at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Nolan Wosman has never lost sight of what matters. A frustrating weekend swinging the bat couldn’t change that. A week ago, during the Quincy University baseball team’s four-game march to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship, the senior second baseman struggled to marry the barrel to the ball. He went 2 for…

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NCAA Midwest Regional primer: Eight things you need to know about QU baseball team

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton has hit 19 of his single-season record 27 home runs at QU Stadium this season. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy University baseball team’s pursuit of a trip to Cary, N.C., begins in earnest Thursday with the start of NCAA Division II Midwest Regional play. The top-seeded Hawks, who carry a 44-9 record into the postseason, will face either Northwood or Wayne State at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at QU Stadium. The Timberwolves…

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Nice ring to it: Hawks capture GLVC Tournament championship, earn No. 1 Midwest Regional seed

The Quincy University baseball team celebrates winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship following Sunday's 13-6 victory over Drury at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Ill. | Photo courtesy Jared McFarlane, Great Lakes Valley Conference

MARION, Ill. — The first step is always the hardest or so the adage goes. If that rings true, the Quincy University baseball team better ready itself for a prolonged journey. The Hawks followed up their regular-season Great Lakes Valley Conference championship by winning the GLVC Tournament, capping a four-game swath through the tourney field…

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Schuckman: Days like this are reason Hammel returned to Hawks to pitch one more season

Quincy University pitcher Jay Hammel, left, gets congratulated by teammates and coaches as he comes off the field following an inning during Sunday's Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship game against Drury at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Ill. | Photo courtesy Jared McFarlane, Great Lakes Valley Conference

QUINCY — Jay Hammel wrestled with the decision. Should he stay or should he go? Last May, Hammel graduated from Quincy University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies. He also fashioned a 9-2 record as a right-handed starter for the QU baseball team, helping the Hawks get within one victory of a…

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Carpenter shuts down Saints, sends Hawks into GLVC Tournament title game

Quincy University left-hander Tyler Carpenter delivers a pitch during Saturday's game against Maryville in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament in Marion, Ill. | Photo courtesy Stephanie Boynton

MARION, Ill. — Tyler Carpenter got mad. Then he got nasty. That made the Maryville baseball team’s plans to rally obsolete. The Quincy University left-handed reliever entered Saturday’s Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament game in the fifth inning with the Hawks ahead 9-7, two outs and two runners on base. The Saints’ Jed Zebig greeted…

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DuPont hits it where Greyhounds can’t catch it, Hawks play stellar defense to advance

Quincy University third baseman Dustin DuPoint hit a three-run home run Friday night in the Hawks' 7-5 victory over Indianapolis in the second round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. | Matt Schuckman file photo

MARION, Ill. — No matter how hard Dustin DuPont hit the ball in his first two at-bats Friday night — he stung it with authority both times — University of Indianapolis center fielder Brandon DeWitt ran down those line drives for the first out in both the first and third innings. “I got back to…

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Offensive tackle Wilson becomes first QU player ever to sign contract with NFL franchise

Quincy University left tackle BJ Wilson signed a free-agent contract with the Carolina Panthers this week, becoming the first player in QU history to sign with an NFL franchise. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — BJ Wilson was standing in the Charlotte Douglas International Airport when he received the phone call that made him part of Quincy University football history. In the midst of so many people, the 6-foot-7, 320-pound Wilson tried his best not to make a scene. “I’m in a crowded airport in a very public…

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QU’s Napleton receives GLVC Player of the Year honor, while Schissel is Coach of the Year

Quincy University junior catcher Luke Napleton, left, was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Not long after Luke Napleton left QU Stadium the day he broke the Quincy University baseball program’s single-season home run record, he received a text message with a video attached. It was from Ryan Snyder, the slugger whose record Napleton broke, who wanted to congratulate the Hawks junior catcher. Snyder may need to…

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Put a ring on it: Hawks head into postseason ready to chase championships, earn some new bling

Quincy University center fielder Brock Boynton, center, and the Hawks look to celebrate a championship this weekend by winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament in Marion, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brock Boynton can envision a championship ring sizable enough to celebrate more than one title. “I was thinking about it last night,” the Quincy University senior center fielder said Wednesday morning before the Hawks boarded a bus headed for Marion, Ill., and the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. “There’s four sides to a…

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QU baseball team ready to roll into postseason after capping ‘nine-game heater’ at Rockhurst

The Quincy University baseball team capped a 40-win regular season and the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season championship Sunday with an 11-9 victory over Rockhurst in Kansas City, Mo. | Photo courtesy Stephanie Boynton

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brock Boynton called it. Following a mid-week victory over nationally ranked Central Missouri on April 25, the Quincy University baseball team’s senior center fielder said the Hawks needed to go on a “nine-game heater” to carry the momentum of an historic regular season into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Sunday,…

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Former QU men’s basketball players in transfer portal find new landing spots

Quincy University swingman Paul Zilinskas, left, is transferring to the University of Indianapolis with two years of eligibility remaining. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Two former Quincy University men’s basketball players who entered the transfer portal have found new homes. Paul Zilinskas, a 6-foot-6 swingman with two years of eligibility remaining, announced via social media last week he will be joining another Great Lakes Valley Conference program as he plans to sign with the University of Indianapolis.…

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Hawks continue to batter opposing pitching, slug six home runs in series finale against Panthers

Quincy University pitcher Joe Byers, center, prepares to celebrate a home run with teammates Brock Boynton, right, during Sunday's game against Drury at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The DJ Khaled collaboration “All I Do Is Win” was released in 2010 and remains a ballpark staple more than a decade later. Still, it may be time for some fresh lyrics. The Quincy University baseball team seems to be providing them. It goes a little like, “All we do is crush, crush,…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team wins regular-season home finale by hammering Drury

Quincy University right-hander Jay Hammel, right, gets congratulated as he heads to the dugout after finishing the fifth inning Sunday in a 16-6 victory over Drury at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy University baseball team doesn’t want Sunday’s 16-6 victory over Drury to complete a Great Lakes Valley Conference sweep to be its final game this season at QU Stadium. The Hawks want to play host to an NCAA Division II regional. Keep hitting the way they are and the Hawks likely will…

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‘You can’t stop it’: Walk-off grand slam keeps Hawks rolling with twinbill sweep of Panthers

The Quincy University baseball players celebrate a three-run home run by Gino D'Alessio, center, during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Drury at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A rally that began with a record-breaking home run, ended with an epic bat flip and featured some of the most selfless, mature at-bats in between left everyone exiting QU Stadium with the same train of thought. This Quincy University baseball squad may truly be a team of destiny. “I told you three…

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Photo gallery: Walk-off grand slam sets stage for QU baseball team to complete twinbill sweep

Quincy University junior Luke Napleton connects for an extra-base hit during Saturday's doubleheader against Drury at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brock Boynton knew it immediately. The epic bat flip made it obvious to everyone else. The senior center fielder crushed a walk-off grand slam to give the Quincy University baseball team a 12-8 victory in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Drury at QU Stadium. The eighth-ranked Hawks completed the sweep with…

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Logsdon’s grand slam puts cap on strong start to weekend for QU baseball team

Quincy University first baseman Lance Logsdon connects for a single in the first inning of Friday's game against Drury at QU Stadium. He finished with three hits, including his seventh career grand slam, in the 12-5 victory. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — If the rest of the weekend follows suit, the seniors on the Quincy University baseball team will create a memorable way to say goodbye. Friday’s start set the tone. Senior right-hander Spencer Walker struck out eight over seven innings, the eighth-ranked Hawks opened the game with five consecutive singles and fifth-year first baseman…

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Photo gallery: Hawks open final home weekend of regular season with victory over Panthers

Quincy University assistant coach Chandler Purcell, left, shakes hands with the home plate umpire prior to Friday's Great Lakes Valley Conference game against Drury. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The team that has been virtually unbeatable at home this season continued to show why Friday. The eighth-ranked Quincy University baseball team parlayed a quality start from right-hander Spencer Walker and a 17-hit attack into a 12-5 victory over Drury at QU Stadium. The Hawks are now 23-2 at home this season. Muddy…

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Schuck on a Truck: Logsdon, Norris talk about how QU served as home, family during incredible athletic careers

Quincy University record-setting slugger Lance Logsdon, left, and All-American volleyball player Mattison Norris joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the tailgate for an episode of "Schuck on a Truck." | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The highs and lows — things both Lance Logsdon and Mattison Norris experienced throughout the Quincy University athletic careers — never sidetracked either, largely because of their competitive nature and dogged determination, but also because they had each other. The record-setting slugger for the QU baseball team and the All-American outside hitter for…

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Standard of success: Logsdon’s legacy with QU baseball program will be defined by drive, determination and doing things right way

Quincy University first baseman Lance Logsdon will leave the program after this season with a bachelor's degree in sports management and a master's degree in business administration, along with his name etched in the record books as one of the most accomplished hitters. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The preferred option isn’t always the right option. Josh Rabe helped Lance Logsdon see that. And by embracing such a notion, the left-handed slugger discovered he was choosing the best option imaginable. Deciding to play baseball at Quincy University and forego the dream of an NCAA Division I scholarship allowed Logsdon to earn…

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Six is a serious number: No. 13 Hawks use six-run rally in seventh inning to upend No. 4 Mules

Quincy University's Gino D'Alessio watches the flight of his go-ahead, three-run home run to left field in the seventh inning of Tuesday's game against Central Missouri at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brock Boynton never felt the ball leave the bat. “That’s when you know it’s going to be a good one,” he said. Gino D’Allesio didn’t feel the ball explode off his bat either. “I’ve been waiting for one of those,” he said. When the Quincy University center fielder and shortstop barreled up pitches…

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Photo gallery: No. 13 QU baseball team erases four-run deficit to knock off No. 4 Central Missouri

Quincy University second baseman Nolan Wosman tags out Central Missouri's Brennan van Breusegen on a stolen base attempt during Tuesday's game at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A six-run rally in the seventh inning Tuesday — a “Quincy six-spot” as center fielder Brock Boynton called it — pushed the 13th-ranked Quincy University baseball team to an 8-6 victory over No. 4 Central Missouri at QU Stadium in the Hawks’ final non-conference game of the regular season. Muddy River Sports Editor…

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Hawks blend ingredients for victory together to win another GLVC weekend series

Quincy University right-hander Jay Hammel went seven innings Sunday in leading the Hawks to an 11-2 victory over Missouri-St. Louis in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. | Matt Schuckman photo

ST. LOUIS — The Quincy University baseball team’s recipe for success worked well Sunday. The Hawks piled up runs, scoring 11 times and collecting 18 hits. Jay Hammel delivered a strong start as the right-hander allowed just two runs over seven innings. The bullpen finished it off with Chase Gockel and Tyler Carpenter each striking…

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Kirn dials in, mows down Tritons with career-high 13 Ks as No. 13 Hawks reach 30-victory plateau

Quincy University left-hander Griffin Kirn struck out a career-high 13 batters in Saturday's 6-1 victory over Missouri-St. Louis in Great Lakes Valley Conference action in St. Louis. | Matt Schuckman file photo

ST. LOUIS — Maybe Griffin Kirn should have known something special lied ahead. “Typically, it seems the better games a pitcher pitches their catch is bad or their bullpen is bad,” the Quincy University left-handed pitcher said. “For me, my catch was the worst game of catch I’ve had in a long time.” Prior to…

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Hawks gear up for GLVC tourney appearance, two QU tennis players earn all-league honors

The Quincy University women's tennis team, here at the pre-tournament banquet on Thursday night, will play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament from the second time in the last three years with Friday's opening-round match against Indianapolis. | Submitted photo

QUINCY — Opportunity awaits the Quincy University women’s tennis team. For the second time in three seasons, the Hawks have qualified for the Great Lakes Valley Conference postseason tournament, finishing fourth in the league’s West Division after winning two of their final three conference duals. The only drawback, if there is even one, is the…

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College notebook: Derry gets NAIA coaching job, Alleyne earns All-MIVA honors, QU grad gets jersey retired at SIU

Southeastern graduate Emma Derry has been named the head women's volleyball coach at Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky. | Photo courtesy Brescia University athletics

AUGUSTA, Ill. — Emma Derry is taking her talents to the college game. The Southeastern graduate spent the past two years as the head volleyball coach at Lincoln High School, guiding the Railers to a 30-win season, a regional championship and a second-place finish in the Apollo Conference last fall. The success earned her the…

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Napleton garners GLVC Player of the Week after crushing McKendree pitching

Quincy University's Luke Napleton, left, celebrates one of his four home runs last weekend against McKendree with teammate Gino D'Alessio. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Luke Napleton’s big weekend earned him another Great Lakes Valley Conference honor. The Quincy University baseball team’s junior catcher was named the GLVC Player of the Week after helping the Hawks go 5-0 last week with a four-game sweep of McKendree to move into sole possession of first place in the league standings.…

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Hawks continue to showcase offensive firepower, finish sweep of Bearcats with big bang

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton gets ready for an at-bat during the final game of the four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference weekend series against McKendree on Saturday at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Filling out the lineup card isn’t too much of a chore for Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel. “It isn’t drawing straws,” he said. Eight starters are hitting .350 or better. Seven starters have each hit six or more home runs. Five have 30 or more RBIs. And every single one of them…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team completes four-game sweep of McKendree

Quincy University designated hitter Austin Simpson talks to the home plate umpire before stepping into the batter's box during Saturday's game against McKendree at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A four-game sweep of McKendree, coupled with a series split between Illinois-Springfield and Maryville, has the Quincy University baseball team alone in first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference following Saturday’s 13-6 and 15-4 victories at QU Stadium. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman was on hand to capture some of the…

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

Quincy University left-hander Griffin Kirn delivers a pitch in the third inning against McKendree during Friday's doubleheader at QU Stadium. Kirn struck out 10 in the 5-2 victory in the nightcap. | Matt Schuckman photo

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…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team wins first two games of weekend series with McKendree

Quincy University center fielder Brock Boynton, center, celebrates his home run as he returns to the dugout during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against McKendree at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The logistical challenges of moving a four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference baseball series from the McKendree campus to QU Stadium were unique, but the end result of Friday’s series-opening doubleheader was expected. The 14th-ranked Hawks swept the Bearcats, winning 15-5 and 5-2. Due to weather concerns, the rest of the weekend schedule has…

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Martin confident more complete arsenal of pitches will lead to rise through Cubs organization

Former Quincy University All-American left-hander Riley Martin, shown here throwing a pitch last season for the South Bend Cubs, is beginning this season with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. | Submitted photo

KODAK, Tenn. — To get to where he sees himself going, Riley Martin understands the importance of having another pitch in his arsenal. More specifically, the left-handed hurler needed a pitch to befuddle left-handed hitters. So this spring, the former Quincy University All-American pitcher and current member of the Chicago Cubs organization took advantage of…

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Hawks erase four-run deficit, win GLVC series against Saints

Quincy University first baseman Lance Logsdon homered and tripled during Saturday's 8-4 victory over Maryville at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Luke Napleton tossed the bat away thinking he’d just drawn a walk, but the home plate umpire called it a strike to force the Quincy University catcher back into the batter’s box to face a full-count payoff pitch. But he only had a few seconds to regroup because the pitch clock was running.…

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Dupont’s blast completes rally as nationally ranked Hawks sweep twinbill from Saints

Quincy University junior catcher Dustin Dupont, center, celebrates his go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday against Maryville at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Dustin Dupont hoped some verbal encouragement would work. The fly ball he hit in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday afternoon seemed to have enough steam behind it to clear QU Stadium’s left field stone wall. Still, as the Quincy University baseball team’s left-handed hitting catcher bounced out of the batter’s box,…

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Photo gallery: Late-inning rally leads to twinbill sweep for QU baseball team

Quincy University left-hander Griffin Kirn follows his pitch during the fourth inning Friday against Maryville at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — In need of something to lift morale and change momentum, the Quincy University baseball team got a quality start from left-hander Griffin Kirn and a three home run day from Dustin Dupont to sweep Maryville 14-6 and 6-5 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action Friday at QU Stadium. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt…

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‘Here we go’: Boyd ready to guide QU women’s basketball program back to historic heights

Quincy University President Dr. Brian McGee, left, and new women's basketball coach Courtney Boyd share a laugh at the end of her introductory press conference Thursday in the Hall of Fame Room on the QU campus. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The caller ID read “Josh Rabe,” which meant Courtney Boyd knew which direction the conversation would veer if she answered. She said hello without hesitation. “What went through my head was, ‘Here we go,’” said Boyd, the Keokuk, Iowa, native who recently capped her sixth season as the head women’s basketball coach at…

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Ninth-inning collapse costs Hawks opening game of crucial GLVC series with Saints

Quincy University right-hander Spencer Walker delivers a pitch during Thursday's game against Maryville at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Brett Panick’s wildness, Maryville’s patience and an inopportune time for a letdown has the nationally ranked Quincy University baseball team needing to rebound. The ninth-ranked Hawks took a three-run lead to the ninth inning Thursday in the opening game of a four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference series, but Panick was unable to close…

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Photo gallery: QU’s Walker, Palmyra’s Kroeger engage in GLVC pitcher’s duel at QU Stadium

Palmyra native Jacob Kroeger, a junior left-hander for the Maryville baseball team, delivers a pitch during Thursday's game against Quincy University at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Spencer Walker delivered. So did Jacob Kroeger. Once the two starting pitchers exited, it was up to their respective bullpens to determine which team won the opening game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference series. Give the edge to the Maryville baseball team. The Saints rallied for four runs in the top of…

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Schuckman: Coaching change is emotional torture on Hawks, but their research reveals ‘good, positive things’ with Boyd’s hiring

Courtney Boyd, introduced Thursday as the new Quincy University women's basketball coach, discusses her approach to coaching during her introductory press conference in the Hall of Fame Room on the QU campus. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The overlapping exodus of Kaci Bailey and arrival of Courtney Boyd made for an emotionally challenging 36 hours for the Quincy University women’s basketball players. “Definitely a little stressful, a little overwhelming,” freshman guard Rylee Denbow said. Mix in plenty of uncertainty. “There are a lot of unknowns up in the air right…

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Schuckman: Bailey left QU women’s basketball program riding upward trajectory

Kaci Bailey led the Quincy University women's basketball team to 22 wins in two seasons at the helm, nearly equaling the 25 victories the program had in the previous five seasons combined. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Kaci Bailey never intended to leave Quincy University as abruptly as she did. “Obviously, I wouldn’t have bought a house,” she said. Bailey never sold it as a lifelong commitment to coach women’s basketball here either. “As I told (QU athletic director Josh Rabe), QU has never been in the mix to be…

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Hammel, Hawks finish series with dominant effort, earn split with Prairie Stars

Quincy University right-hander Jay Hammel delivers a pitch during Sunday's game against Illinois-Springfield in the nightcap of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader. | Photo courtesy Max Bennett, QU athletics

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Jay Hammel delivered his best when the Quincy University baseball team needed it most. Having lost the first game of Sunday’s Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader with Illinois-Springfield, the Hawks needed a victory in the nightcap to split the day and the four-game series between two nationally ranked teams. Hammel made certain…

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Living in a hitter’s paradise: Hawks slug seven home runs, sweep GLVC series from Bulldogs

Quincy University's Nolan Wosman rounds third base after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning of Sunday's 20-7 victory over Truman State at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A sun-splashed Sunday afternoon with the wind whipping into the right-center field gap and temperatures rising above the stocking cap barometer turned QU Stadium into a hitter’s paradise. No wonder the Quincy University baseball team’s entire lineup salivated over the possibilities. “I think it’s almost impossible not to, especially when you have 20…

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Schuckman: Unshaken confidence allows Hammel to rejoin QU rotation with bulldogged effort

Quincy University right-hander Jay Hammel delivers a pitch during Sunday's game against Truman State at QU Stadium. Hammel went five innings, striking out five and earning his first victory of the season. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Doubt comes when confidence wanes. Everything Jay Hammel experienced in the first six weeks of the Quincy University baseball team’s season could have created doubt in himself, his ability to contribute on a nationally ranked team, and his decision to return for a final year of eligibility. Never once has he doubted any…

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Photo gallery: Hawks complete sweep of Bulldogs with another booming effort offensively

Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel, right, talks with Cole Erickson prior to the freshman going to the on-deck circle during Sunday's game against Truman State at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy University baseball team bookended its weekend sweep of Truman State with offensive outbursts, complementing Friday’s 14-run effort with Sunday’s 20-7 victory at Stadium. The Hawks hit seven home runs with Nolan Wosman going 5 for 5 with two home runs and four runs scored. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent…

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Hawks eliminate any hope Bulldogs created by winning final three innings of series opener

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton went 5 for 5 with two home runs and five RBIs in Friday's 14-4 victory over Truman State at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — It’s a simple philosophy with proven results. Win the inning. “I don’t know if you can hear me in the dugout, but I’m always saying ‘win the inning,’” Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel said. “Whether we give up four or give up two or give up none, go win the inning. If…

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Walker bounces back with complete command, strikes out 10 in Hawks’ victory over Bulldogs

Quincy University right-hander Spencer Walker struck out 10 and walked none over six innings Friday in a 14-4 victory over Truman State at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Spencer Walker paused as he searched for the most apropos way to describe his mindset when he took the mound Friday afternoon. “I can’t find the word,” he frustratedly said. He needed more than one. “I went out there with a little more of a chip on my shoulder,” Walker said. He pitched…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team opens weekend with 10-run rule victory over Truman State

Quincy University's Cole Erickson, left, rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run that jumpstarted an eight-run sixth inning Friday against Truman State at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Everyone got into the act. The Quincy University baseball team scored 12 runs over the final three innings Friday to post a 14-4, seven-inning victory over Truman State at QU Stadium. All nine of the Hawks in the lineup reached base, seven had hits and eight scored at least one run. Muddy River…

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Schuckman: Building camaraderie, talking basketball brings Hawks together with Curtis Creek residents

Quincy University junior forward Solomon Gustafson, right, visits with a resident at the Curtis Creek Senior Living Community during Thursday's "Basketball and Bites" event. | Submitted photo

QUINCY — Being insulated by the borders of the Quincy University campus gives the men’s basketball players a sense of security, but it doesn’t offer many opportunities to embrace those who embrace the Hawks’ success. Those are things they long to do. “We’ve wanted to be more involved in the community,” junior guard Zion Richardson…

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Photo gallery: QU men’s lacrosse team puts together second-half scoring outburst in victory

The Quincy University men's lacrosse team scored seven goals in the third quarter Monday to propel itself to a 13-8 victory over Colorado State-Pueblo at QU Stadium. | Photo courtesy Denny Sinnock, QU Athletics

QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s lacrosse team scored seven goals in the third quarter Monday, erasing a one-goal halftime deficit and propelling itself to a 13-8 victory over Colorado State-Pueblo at QU Stadium. Quincy scored three times in the first 90 seconds of the third quarter. Neal Dardis tied the game at 5 off…

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Wosman’s walk-off single allows Hawks to rebound and split GLVC doubleheader

Quincy University second baseman Nolan Wosman singled in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday to drive in the winning run in a 5-4 walk-off victory against Missouri S&T at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — What’s the best way to respond to a pummeling? Come back and deliver the final blow. The Quincy University baseball team is pretty good at finishing with a punch. After allowing the most runs in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game in at least two decades in a 20-10 loss, the Hawks salvaged…

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Former QU ace Spraker earns victory out of bullpen for Great Britain in World Baseball Classic

Former Quincy University right-hander Graham Spraker is pitching for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic. Spraker retired eight batters in a row Monday and earned the victory in relief as Great Britain beat Colombia 7-5 at Chase Field in Phoenix. | Photo courtesy Phrake Photography

QUINCY — The Fox Sports 2 broadcast team handling the play-by-play of Monday’s World Baseball Classic matchup between Colombia and Great Britain pointed out multiple times the number of professional scouts in attendance. If any are looking for a right-handed reliever, Graham Spraker may have piqued their interest. The former Quincy University ace came out…

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Hawks’ Napleton picks up GLVC weekly honor after belting five home runs in series sweep

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton, left, celebrates one of his home runs against Augustana with teammates Lance Logsdon, center, and Gino D'Alessio last Friday at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Luke Napleton’s first at-bat set the tone for quite a weekend that earned him Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week when all was said and done. The Quincy University baseball team’s junior catcher roped a line drive over Augustana center fielder Trevor Winterstein that turned into a triple thanks to his…

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Hawks’ Zilinskas, Davis announce they have entered transfer portal, won’t return to QU

After three seasons playing for Quincy University, 6-foot-5 swingman Paul Zilinskas has entered the transfer portal and will transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A pair of Quincy University men’s basketball players have entered the transfer portal. Junior guard Paul Zilinskas and redshirt freshman forward Connor Davis announced their decisions on social media last week. Zilinskas, a 6-foot-5 swingman from , was the Hawks’ third leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points while shooting 42 percent from the field…

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Walking away a winner: Parks’ four-RBI effort powers Hawks to sweep of Vikings

Quincy University's Gino D'Alessio, left, celebrates with teammate Zach Parks, who hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning of Saturday's 10-0 victory over Augustana at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Zach Parks didn’t find himself in an all-or-nothing situation, but the absence of an on-deck hitter behind him suggested it. When the Quincy University left fielder went to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday, two scenarios existed. If he collected a hit…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team completes three-game sweep of Augustana

Quincy University catcher Dustin Dupont, left, congratulates starting pitcher Kobe Essien after working a 1-2-3 third inning Saturday against Augustana at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Seven combined shutout innings from four pitchers and a four-RBI effort from the No. 9 hitter propelled the Quincy University baseball team to a 10-0 victory over Augustana on Saturday at QU Stadium and a three-game sweep of the Vikings. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman hung out at the windy, cold stadium…

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Shutout innings from starters, gobble-it-up defense carry Hawks to doubleheader sweep

Quincy University pitcher Spencer Walker, left, gets the forceout at first base to complete a double play in the third inning of Friday's game against Augustana (S.D.) at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel picked up the walkie talkie used to relay messages to the bullpen but hesitated before hitting the call button. “I was like, ‘Do I say it? Do I not say it? Do I say it? Do I not say it?’” he said. “The whole time I’m thinking,…

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QU baseball notebook: Triple in first at-bat gets Napleton close to hitting for cycle

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton slides safely into third base with a triple in the first inning of Friday's game against Augustana (S.D.) at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Luke Napleton wasn’t stopping for anyone or anything. In the bottom of the first inning in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, the Quincy University baseball team’s junior catcher rifled a ball over the head of Augustana center fielder Trevor Winterstein that reached the warning track. Although third base coach Chandler Purcell threw…

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Photo gallery: QU baseball team sweeps doubleheader from Augustana

The Quincy University baseball team's dugout celebrates Nolan Wosman's home run during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against Augustana (S.D.) at QU Stadium. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The nationally ranked Quincy University baseball team hit six home runs and got scoreless outings from its starting pitchers in sweeping a doubleheader from Augustana (S.D.) on Friday at QU Stadium, winning both games 7-2. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the afternoon at QU Stadium and created this photo gallery:

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Crim: NCAA rejects QU’s appeal to allow freshman to swim at Division II national championships

Quincy University freshman swimmer Wyatt Walsh qualified for the NCAA Division II national championships in two medley events, but he will not compete in Indianapolis due to NCAA regulations QU didn't meet. | Photo courtesy QU athletics

QUINCY — The NCAA Division II swimming and diving national championships begin Tuesday in Indianapolis. Quincy University freshman Wyatt Walsh, one of the country’s best in both the 200- and 400-yard individual medley, should be competing. But he’s not. You see, Division II swimming and diving teams are required to have a minimum of eight…

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Late-inning rallies help Hawks complete four-game sweep of Timberwolves

Quincy University designated hitter Austin Simpson connects for a hit during Sunday's doubleheader against Northwood at QU Stadium. | Photo courtesy Denny Sinnock, QU Athletics

QUINCY — Never out of the fight. That needs to become the Quincy University baseball team’s new catchphrase. The Hawks completed a four-game sweep of Northwood — a perennial Midwest Region foe — with a series of late-inning rallies, scoring the go-ahead run in the seventh inning or later in three of the four games…

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‘We’ve got some dogs, man’: QU men take top-seeded Indianapolis into double OT before losing

Quincy University's Malik Hardmon goes up for a shot between Indianapolis' Sean Craig, left, and Julian Steinfeld during Thursday afternoon's quarterfinal game in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo. | David Adam

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — An outsized and physically overmatched Quincy University men’s basketball team did everything it could on Thursday afternoon, but it couldn’t change the outcome — a gritty 79-77 double-overtime loss to top-seeded Indianapolis in the first round in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. What the Hawks did change this season, however,…

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Last-second shot doesn’t fall, but QU women earn respect by throwing scare into top-seeded Drury

Quincy University assistant coach Jenna Knudson, background, and head coach Kaci Bailey, right, console Beth Matas Martin after her potential game-winning shot didn't go in during the Hawks' quarterfinal game in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo. | David Adam

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — It wasn’t quite the U.S. national hockey team over the Russians in 1980, but for NCAA Division II women’s basketball, it was darned close. Nobody could even fathom the Quincy University women’s basketball team staying remotely close to Drury, ranked No. 2 nationally, in the first round of the Great Lakes…

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Photo gallery: QU women nearly pull first-round shocker at GLVC Tournament

Quincy University's Janiece Dawson goes up for a reverse layup during Thursday night's women's basketball quarterfinal at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo. | David Adam

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The eighth-seeded Quincy University women’s basketball team nearly pulled off one of the biggest stunners in the history of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, falling 79-78 to top-seeded Drury in Thursday’s tourney quarterfinals. MRN Editor David Adam put together this photo gallery:

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Photo gallery: QU men lose in double overtime to top-seeded Indianapolis in GLVC quarterfinals

Indianapolis' Kendrick Tchoua flies over Quincy's Zion Richardson during Thursday afternoon's men's basketball quarterfinal game in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo. | David Adam

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The eighth-seeded Quincy University men’s basketball team took top-seeded Indianapolis to double overtime before falling 79-77 in the quarterfinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. MRN Editor David Adam captured these images for a photo gallery:

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Nelson’s game-winning buzzer-beater earns QU women spot in GLVC Tournament

Quincy University forward Sarah Nelson scored at the buzzer Saturday afternoon to beat Rockhurst 65-63 and push QU into the GLVC Tournament field. | Muddy River Sports file photo

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Friday night, during the team dinner for players and parents, Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey gave senior forward Emma Knipe’s parents a solid reassurance more was in store. “I told them, ‘Tomorrow’s not our last game,’” Bailey said. A homegrown senior — Quincy native Sarah Nelson — made sure…

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Crim: Postseason fate still in question, but Hawks have undoubtedly made strides in Hawkins’ first season back

Steve Hawkins, shown talking with Malik Hardmon during a game against Grand Valley State earlier this season, has guided Quincy University within one victory of their first winning record since the 2016-17 season. | File photo by Matt Schuckman

QUINCY — As the Great Lakes Valley Conference enters the final week of the basketball regular season, the only certainty on the men’s side is that nationally-ranked Indianapolis will finish first and be the top seed for the league tournament March 2-5 in St. Charles, Mo. Otherwise, we’re left to decipher the GLVC’s rating system…

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Message received: Kicked out of locker room and practicing at elementary school, Hawks respond with home victory

Jamaurie Coakley, with the ball on the baseline against Truman State, scored 13 points in the second half on Saturday in his final game for Quincy University at Pepsi Arena. | Photo courtesy of Denny Sinnock

QUINCY – Quincy University men’s basketball coach Steve Hawkins didn’t like the way his team responded to a 13-point home loss to William Jewell Thursday night, its third straight defeat and sixth in eight games. He sent a message the following day by locking the players out of their locker room in Pepsi Arena, prohibiting…

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Bailey ‘proud of the effort’ as QU women lose home finale to Truman State

Beth Matas Martin, right, played all 40 minutes and finished with a team-best 17 points, the only QU player to reach double figures against Truman State. | Photo courtesy of Denny Sinnock

QUINCY – Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey knew her team was facing a tall order Saturday afternoon in its final home game of the season. Truman State entered the game in Pepsi Arena having won 11 straight games in the series. The Bulldogs began the day as the second-highest scoring team in the…

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Hawks lose rematch with William Jewell, drop third straight

Quincy's Mason Wujek goes up for a shot against William Jewell's Heri Tshiyoyo during Thursday night's GLVC game at Pepsi Arena. - Denny Sinnock

QUINCY — It was hard to say which was colder Thursday night: the Quincy University offense or the temperature outside Pepsi Arena. With the starting five struggling to score, the Hawks received a bit of a bench boost in the first half as the team fought its way to being only down two at the…

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QU women stay alive in conference tournament chase

Quincy's Sarah Nelson fights William Jewell's Chloe Frank for a rebound during Thursday's game at Pepsi Arena. - Denny Sinnock

QUINCY — After a game-opening burst by William Jewell, it was up to the Quincy University women to answer. And they did. The Hawks countered two early three-pointers with a 26-2 run that turned into a 30-point lead and eventually finished as a 77-54 win Thursday night at Pepsi Arena. The win puts Quincy (11-14…

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QU baseball team moves up to No. 17 in national poll after opening with three victories in four games

Luke Napleton, shown celebrating a home run last season against Missouri S&T, hit a two-run double in Quincy University's 10-2 victory over Saint Leo on Tuesday. | File Photo by Matt Schuckman

SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Quincy University baseball team has moved up three spots to No. 17 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. Quincy opened its season by defeating No. 3-ranked Tampa in two out of three games on Feb. 10-12, then defeated Saint Leo University 10-2 on Tuesday.  A two-run double…

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Resilient Hawks rally to knock off No. 3 Spartans, win season-opening series in Florida

Quincy University catcher Luke Napleton hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the ninth inning Sunday, leading the No. 20 Hawks to an 11-10 victory over No. 3 Tampa to win the three-game series in Tampa, Fla. | Matt Schuckman file photo

TAMPA, Fla. — Never give up, never give in. Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel knows he has a team willing to live by that mantra. The Hawks can compete with anyone in the country, too. Both of those aspects were revealed during the season-opening three-game series against the third-ranked University of Tampa as the…

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‘The game got away from us’: Hawks suffer GLVC setback to Prairie Stars

Illinois-Springfield guard Jordan Rice, left, pressures Quincy University guard Isaiah Foster during Saturday's Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The downcast expression covering Malik Hardmon’s face told the story. So did his words. “The game got away from us, and we paid for it,” he said. The 6-foot-6 senior forward on the Quincy University men’s basketball team did not mince words or offer excuses following Saturday’s 84-74 Great Lakes Valley Conference loss…

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QU women see GLVC tourney hopes take major hit with lopsided loss to Illinois-Springfield

Illinois-Springfield's Ariyah Douglas gets a shot off between two Quincy University defenders during Saturday's Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Pepsi Arena. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The math never lies. “It’s tough to come back from 25 points down,” Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey said. And that’s exactly where QU found itself at intermission. Illinois-Springfield, which entered Saturday’s game with a 2-21 record, dominated Quincy from start to finish in posting an 81-59 Great Lakes Valley Conference…

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Photo gallery: QU men, women falter in GLVC play against Illinois-Springfield

Quincy University assistant coach Tim Walsh talks to point guard Isaiah Foster during a timeout in Saturday's game against Illinois-Springfield at Pepsi Arena. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The fight to earn a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament became a little tougher for the Quincy University men’s and women’s basketball teams after both suffered setbacks Saturday against Illinois-Springfield at Pepsi Arena. The QU men lost 84-74, while the women were drubbed 81-59. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…

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Hawks’ goal on Florida trip is to become part of national contender conversation — now and for seasons to come

Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel, left, greets right-hander Spencer Walker as he comes back to the dugout during a game last season against Missouri S&T. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Asked what he hoped his team’s accomplishes on a seven-game, 11-day trip to the Sunshine State, Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel responded with his own query. “Short term or long term?” he asked. Everything Schissel does for this program is viewed through both of those lenses. In this case, the short-term answer…

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Schuck on a Truck: Cubs pitching prospect Riley Martin discusses spring training and his progress

QUINCY — Riley Martin admits it’s been a short offseason, but that hasn’t diminished his readiness for spring training. “I feel like I’ve put in some good work this offseason,” he said. “I’m excited to get back and get started.” The former Quincy University left-handed All-American hurler will head to Mesa, Ariz., next week to…

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