Willbrand’s 10th inning hit gives Drury a win over Quincy

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Drury infielder Landon Willbrand’s hit to right field in the bottom of the 10^th drove in Greydon Miller and gave the Panthers a 9-8 win over Quincy on Thursday at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park.
 
Drury won their fifth straight game and improved to 12-11 and 10-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Quincy dropped to 9-16 and 6-7 in the GLVC.
 
Quincy built a 4-0 lead in the fifth, but Wes Collins’ three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 4-4. The Panthers took a 6-4 lead in the seventh, only to have the Hawks score three times in the eighth to go back in front 7-6.
 
Drury got solo home runs in the eighth from Brandon Holden and Ryker Harrington to go back in front 8-7. Quincy tied the game in the top of the ninth on an RBI-double by Dustin Dupont and threatened to take the lead as they loaded bases. DU reliever Zach McKinnis got a ground ball to get out of the inning and kept the game tied.
 
In the bottom of the 10^th, Greydon Miller got a single to lead off the frame in a pinch-hit at-bat and advanced to second on a two-out single by Kaden Byrne. Willbrand then hit a fly ball to right that dropped in play and scored Miller for the win.
 
“We scored four runs with two out in that fifth to tie the game,” said Drury head coach Scott Nasby. “We tell our guys that every out matters and every pitch matters because that was definitely the case today as we hadn’t done anything offensively to be in the game up until that point.”
 
Collins finished the game going 3 for 4 with four RBIs.
 
Drury starter Cody Bahl got a no-decision after going 7 innings allowing 10 hits, four runs and three earned runs with one walk and six strikeouts. Quincy starter Griffin Kirn also didn’t figure in the decision after striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings.
 
“It was good to have a lot of guys involved and have them contribute,” said Nasby, who used six pitchers and 12 position players to get through the 10-inning. “It’s good to get a lot of guys reps as it keeps everybody engaged but it’s even better to do that and get a win.”
 
The four-game series continues on Friday with a doubleheader starting at noon at Mark Worley Field at Meador Park.
 
 
#allweDUiswin