‘Finally’: Blue Devils score 10 runs in first three innings to enjoy successful road trip to Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The quality at-bats had been there. The solid contact had been there.

But the results hadn’t always been there for the Quincy High School baseball team at the plate through the first dozen games of the season, which included three losses by one run, another two-run defeat and a three-run loss in which they led by one entering the final inning.

“Sometimes that’s the way baseball works,” Blue Devils coach Rick Lawson said. “Sometimes you have good at-bats, you hit the ball hard and it’s just right at somebody.”

The results were there Saturday.

The Blue Devils jumped on Hannibal with 10 runs in the first three innings, including seven in the third, and parlayed Nick Brown’s strong pitching to a 10-1 victory at the Veterans Sports Complex.

“Finally,” Blue Devils right fielder Mason Dent said. “We’ve been waiting.”

Dent’s two-out, two-strike RBI double brought in the Blue Devils’ 10th run after designated hitter Drake Gibson cleared the bases with a double of his own.

“We just kept the line moving, and it definitely paid off when you have your three-hole guy who’s 0 for 2 come in and smoke one down the line like he did,” Dent said. “It’s definitely a relief.”

Gibson, a left-handed hitter, welcomed a Hannibal pitching change prior to his at-bat with the bases loaded. The Pirates lifted left-handed starter Azariah Tucker in favor of right-hander Brody Wilson. Gibson had been 0 for 2 with a pair of strikeouts against Tucker. Gibson promptly roped a double over right fielder Julien English-Smith’s head to give the Blue Devils a 9-1 lead.

“Coming from a righty, it’s a lot easier for me to see,” Gibson said. “That was a pretty good hit. It was a fastball right down the middle, right where I like it.”

Dent also led off that inning by putting a 2-2 pitch in play and reaching on an error by Wilson at second base. The first six Quincy hitters reached base, and four reached after getting into two-strike counts.

“A lot of guys are working on our two-strike approach, and it obviously worked out today,” Dent said.

Brown appreciated the seven insurance runs his offense provided him.

“It just felt like a 100-pound weight got lifted off of me,” Brown said. “I felt like I could go out there, just let them put the ball in play, keep my pitch count low, and help us use more arms during the week instead of today.”

After surrendering a run in the first inning, Brown fired six consecutive scoreless innings. The sophomore right-hander scattered six hits, walked two, struck out four and threw 59 of his 89 pitches for strikes.

“The first inning was a little rocky, but I settled into the zone, made them put the ball in play, and after that, it was just smooth sailing,” Brown said.

Gibson was impressed with Brown’s first career start and complete game.

“He was dominant,” Gibson said. “That was awesome. That was the best I’ve ever seen him pitch. That was fun to watch, for sure.”

The Pirates were dealt a tough blow when Waylon Anders, an All-North Central Missouri Conference selection last season, twisted his ankle while trying to run out a ground ball in the first inning. Anders exited the contest and is expected to miss a handful of games.

“When Waylon went down, you could kind of see the wind go out of our sails,” Hannibal coach Ian Hatton said. “He’s a big part of what we have. I think he’s going to be OK, but we’re going to be missing him for some time. He’s a really good leader for our team and really solidifies the middle of our lineup and pitching staff. It’s a tough loss.”

Quincy (3-10) is back in action on Monday with a Western Big 6 conference game against Rock Island. Hannibal (5-10) will also resume conference play with a road game against Kirksville on Tuesday.