Hammel, Hawks finish taking GLVC series from Prairie Stars on make-or-break weekend

QUINCY — In what they had dubbed a make-or-break weekend, the Quincy University baseball players made a strong case they intend on being a postseason contender.

The Hawks may even be the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s team to beat.

Taking three of four games from 13th-ranked Illinois-Springfield in the opening GLVC series of the season changed everything, and Sunday’s 7-6 victory at QU Stadium showcased the poise and confidence the Hawks need to win in May.

Senior right-hander Jay Hammel worked seven strong innings, Dayson Croes crushed a tide-turning home run in the third inning and left-handed closer Sam Stephens finished off the Prairie Stars, who were the preseason pick to win the GLVC Blue Division.

“We’ve never stopped believing in ourselves,” QU sophomore shortstop Gino D’Alessio said. “We know what we have on our team, and we know what we’re capable of. We know what our mission is at the end of the year. 

“So, yeah, we dropped a couple of series early, but we knew this was a good opportunity to get right back on track and carry this on for the next few weeks and through the end of the season.”

The Hawks (12-10, 3-1 GLVC) scuffled a week prior to hosting the Prairie Stars, losing three of four games to Davenport, an in-region opponent, while surrendering 40 runs over the final three games.

“Obviously, last weekend didn’t define us,” Hammel said. “This weekend, we wanted it. This is probably our biggest rival, one of the best teams we will play all season. That Monday after the Davenport series, we knew we wanted this one and we were focused all week and got it done.”

Hammel was as focused as anyone.

“I was ready to go Friday,” he said. “I was locked in.”

His teammates were ready to see him deliver.

“The guys call it Hambone day at the ballpark when he pitches,” QU coach Matt Schissel said. “It’s their favorite day of the week.”

Hammel didn’t disappoint. He held the Prairie Stars scoreless the first five innings, got tagged for four runs in the sixth and returned in the seventh inning to strike out two and leave two runners stranded.

He finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts, allowing four earned runs, seven hits and one walk in what is arguably the finest outing of his collegiate career.

“I had a groove going and then they put a four-spot on me,” Hammel said. “A couple infield hits and one or two barrels, but that’s baseball. I go, ‘So what? Next pitch.’ I came out in the seventh and continued to do what I had been doing. I stayed true.”

It’s the mindset Hammel and Schissel have discussed he needed.

“It’s been our conversation for the last 12 months,” Schissel said. “If they’re going to beat you, let them beat you. Don’t beat yourself. All year long, that’s what he’s done. He’s said, ‘Here’s my best stuff,’ and he’s gone at them.”

Getting plenty of run support helps.

D’Alessio was called out attempting to steal second base with two outs in the third inning, but after a video review, the call was overturned. Two batters later, Croes blasted a three-run home run to right field for a 3-0 lead.

An RBI single from Lance Logsdon and an RBI double from D’Alessio in the fourth pushed the advantage to 5-0, and after the Prairie Stars scored four runs in the sixth, the Hawks came back with RBI groundouts from D’Alessio and Zach Parks in the bottom of the frame.

Stephens replaced Hammel in the eighth and struck out two of the three batters he faced. Illinois-Springfield’s Nick Mayerhofer hit a two-run home run off Stephens with one out in the ninth, but the southpaw got back-to-back groundouts to finish the save.

“I knew he was going to get it done,” Hammel said of Stephens. “He wanted it just as bad as the rest of us did.”

It resulted in the best weekend of the season so far.

“That’s fun,” Hammel said. “That’s a great feeling.”