Indianapolis, IN - The 16th-ranked McKendree University Softball team had a marquee matchup to play on Saturday afternoon. They'd made the trip east to battle against the 4th-ranked UIndy Greyhounds in a battle between the Great Lakes Valley Conference's first and second place teams. Perhaps to little or no surprise, both games came down to the final inning. In the opener, the Bearcats (34-12, 15-7 GLVC) erased a 2-0 deficit with a home run, but UIndy (49-3, 23-1 GLVC) answered for a 3-2 win. In game two, back and forth it went, with McKendree getting close to a lead, yet ultimately, the Greyhounds walked it off in the bottom of the seventh, 2-1, to complete what was as close as a sweep can be.
GAME ONE | #4 UINDY 3, #16 McKENDREE 2
It was a terrific pitchers' duel to start, with neither side finding the scoreboard for over half of the game. Sami Huck and the Bearcat defense would get their first 1-2-3 inning in the second. Molly Bartz singled, then Huck sacrificed her into scoring position, but to no avail, and the duel continued.
Entering the fifth inning, both teams had combined for five baserunners. In the fifth, Ali Grenzebach drew a full-count walk, but was stranded. Ultimately, the Greyhounds struck first. After Huck had started the inning with consecutive strikeouts, UIndy found a seam by way of a single, RBI double, walk, and RBI single to take a 2-0 lead with runs at a premium.
McKendree, however, answered almost immediately. Despite the inning's first two batters going down via flyout, the Bearcat bats weren't done. Lauren Harris singled on the first pitch of her at-bat, then Jasmine Myers slugged her ninth home run of the season to tie the game at two runs apiece.
While the shutout was no longer intact for either side, it remained a see-saw affair. UIndy promptly got a double and a walk to set up an RBI single for the go-ahead run with just one out to spare. The Bearcats got their own go-ahead run at the plate after Ryleigh Albers got a first-pitch single, but she would be stranded after a pair of strikeouts ended the game with a one-run Greyhound winner.
GAME TWO | #4 UINDY 2, #16 McKENDREE 1
The second game of the day took on almost the same trajectory. This time, with Ellie Vetter in the circle, the Bearcats held UIndy without a run until the fifth inning. Before that, the closest McKendree would get was in the third, when an Addie Clark walk and Lauren Harris single put two on with two outs, but both were stranded.
In the fifth, antics ensued. After back-to-back singles and a walk drawn by the Greyhounds to load the bases with just one out, they nearly launched a grand slam, but to the relief of the Bearcats, Addy Case leapt up in the air and brought the presumed grand slam back into the yard, and proceeded to double up a runner that didn't tag up at second base. However, a run would score on the play that crossed the plate before the play was completed, giving the hosts a slim 1-0 lead.
Once again, McKendree nearly answered. A Sami Huck single and Jasmine Myers single made it two on with one out, but both would be stranded.
Vetter and the Bearcats would shut UIndy down to the tune of a 1-2-3 sixth inning, setting the table for more nailbiters in the seventh. Trista Moore led off the top half with a double. That was soon followed by a critical bunt from Molly Bartz that she reached on, also scoring Moore on an error, and tying the game back up.
Vetter would help herself out with a single, plus Lauren Harris drew a walk, but the inning ended there.
With just one run to get, the Greyhounds drew a pair of walks and a single to load the bases with one out. After a popout put the Bearcats one run from free softball, UIndy walked it off on a hit by pitch to set the 2-1 final score.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
@ Lewis Flyers (21-23, 10-10 GLVC)
Sunday, April 26th - 12:00 & 2:00 PM
at Lewis Softball Field - Romeoville, IL
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game One)
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN) (Game Two)
Live Stats (Sidearm Sports) (Both Games)
