Rockhurst pounded Drury pitching in the opener 20-4, then won a pitcher's duel 4-1 in the nightcap to sweep the first two games of their Great Lakes Valley Conference series Sunday night at Meador Park.
The Panthers (14-14, 5-5) and Hawks (19-9, 6-4) will meet in a doubleheader at noon Monday at Meador to close the four-game set.
Drury fell 20-4 in the first game, as the Hawks' Nick Troilo - who entered the game with one homer and 12 runs batted in - homered three times, including a pair of grand slams, and had 10 RBIs.
Troilo was 3-for-5 with three runs scored as the Hawks pounded out 27 hits and five homers off of six Drury pitchers, including last-minute starter and loser Stephen Bloss (2-2). Bloss drew the assignment when scheduled starter Blake Wixson came up with elbow discomfort while warming up some 10 minutes before the start of the contest.
Jason Hall had a three-run homer as the Panthers managed just six hits off the Hawks in game one. Rockhurst starting pitcher Frank Allen (3-3) went seven innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs.
In the seven-inning nightcap, Rockhurst used a three-run homer in the third from designated hitter Mike Walczuk - who also went deep in the opener - to help edge the Panthers.
Down 4-1, Drury mounted a rally in seventh, with one-out walks to Dane Hughes and Maury Wilmes. But Bret Gallion popped out to first and R.J. Knese grounded out to first to end the threat, as Rockhurst pitchers Jeremy Pope (6-1) and Jason Brown limited the Panthers to just three hits in the contest. Pope pitched six innings, striking out four and walking two.
Sophomore lefty Chris Barratt (2-3) was again a hard-luck loser for the Panthers, allowing just six hits and three earned runs, striking out eight and walking none in going the distance.
Drury's lone run came on a Tyler Goss sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box