By Steve Tappa

Special to the Herald-Whig

MOLINE -- Barb Crist figured the long bus ride home Saturday would help the Quincy High School softball team forget an 11-0, five-inning thumping by state power Moline.

However, the Blue Devils coach also hoped her club remembered pushing the four-time defending Western Big 6 Conference champs 3-0 in the opener of the league-opening twinbill at Moline's Bob Seitz Field.

"We need to build off that first game," Crist said after the sweep extended Moline's league winning streak to 27 straight.

"We were right there. It could have gone our way. It makes us realize, if they're as good as we think they are, we competed with them, and that should give us some confidence for the rest of the conference games we play."

Indeed, Quincy (2-5) trailed Moline (6-1) just 1-0 until Rolanda Jacobs' two-run double in the fifth inning of the opener.

And, despite being one-hit by two Moline hurlers, Quincy had runners on second and third with one out, yet failed to score in the third frame.

One of Quincy's four errors helped Moline to dent the scoreboard in the home half of the third.

Mackenzi Fairley (2-3) was the hard-luck loser, allowing five hits and only two earned runs. She fanned three and walked three.

Game 1 starter and winner, Courtney Taube (1-0), fanned eight and walked one in four innings. Meg Schroeder struck out seven and walked one in a three-inning save for Moline.

"The first game we competed," Crist said. "It's just that, with those unforced errors, we put the pressure on ourselves. Mackenzi pitched an outstanding game, and when your pitcher is doing her job, the defense needs to be doing theirs."

Quincy's opening effort actually motivated Moline in the nightcap.

Maroons starter Emily Hoague skipped lunch to make sure she was sharp during her warm-up session in the bullpen.

Moline coach Mark Gerlach, upset with his team's offensive approach, also implored his hitters to get aggressive at the plate.

The result? Moline pounded out 10 hits, scoring a game-shortening eight runs in the fourth inning, and Hoague and reliever Molly Mitchell combined to allow just two Quincy hits.

Hoague finished the twinbill with a 4-for-6 effort at the plate, which included a double, an RBI and a stolen base.

Bailey O'Brien was Moline's offensive catalyst in the nightcap, going 2 for 3 with three RBI, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

"The second game just got away from us," Crist said. "I was hoping Christina (Goehl) was going to be able to hold them down a little longer.

"But, she's just a sophomore, and when you get a team as good as Moline, and they start hitting the ball, they can get going on a run awfully quick."

Sophomore Jordyn Mecklenburg was the offensive bright spot for the Blue Devils, going 2 for 5 in the doubleheader.

"It's just unfortunate we weren't able to compete better than we did in the second game," Crist said. "We'll have to see what happens. This is the first conference doubleheader, and there are four of them left. It's up to us to play the rest of them like we did in the first game."