ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball fought hard but came up short in its 4-1 loss to No. 13 Quincy in the first game of a four-game series at the UMSL Baseball Field on Friday afternoon. The Tritons drop to 20-19, 13-8 GLVC while the Hawks improve to 29-8, 17-4 GLVC.
Quincy jumped out to the early lead with a run in the first.
Ryan Berry retired the first two Hawk hitters to start the game but gave up a two-out solo home run to right center to Luke Napleton for his NCAA leading 22nd home run of the season.
Quincy added to its lead with a pair of runs in the fourth as Adam Lewis hit a two-run double of the top of the fence in left center scoring Zach Parks and Nolan Wosman to make it 3-0.
UMSL had a chance to get on the board in the third as it had runners at first and third with two out but a strikeout ended the inning.
The Tritons got a two-out triple from
Carson Holin in the seventh, but he was left stranded as a fly out to right ended the inning.
The Hawks added an insurance run in the ninth. Gino D'Alessio reached on an error to start the frame and scored on Napleton's double off the top of the fence in right.
UMSL got on the board in its half of the ninth.
Brandon Olion and
Justin Simard worked back-to-back walks to start the inning off Quincy's closer Chase Gockel.
Andrew Buescher drove in Olion with a single to center and Simard went to third as Lance Logsdon couldn't handle the throw in from center.
The Hawks went back to their bullpen and brought in Cruz Meier.
Mitchell Green swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a soft liner back to Meier and he doubled off
Isaac Powers, running for Buescher, at first for the second out of the inning. Meier struck out Holin swinging to end the game and pick up his first save of the season.
The Tritons were outhit in the contest 7-4 and were led by Buescher, Green, Holin and
Logan Mantz with a hit apiece. Berry was the tough luck loser giving up three runs on five hits with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.
Quincy and UMSL continue its four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon at the UMSL Baseball Field. The doubleheader will be two seven inning contests.
