Box scores
UIndy 8, Rockhurst 5
Rockhurst 7, UIndy 6

INDIANAPOLIS- The University of Indianapolis baseball team split a pair of conference games with Rockhurst Saturday at Greyhound Park.  UIndy tallied three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to take game one 8-5, but fell 7-6 after leading 3-0 in game two.  Junior Aryn Ross reached base safely six times on the day.

GAME 1
Though he was credited with all five Hawk runs, right hander Cory White notched a quality start by tossing six-and-a-third frames while allowing just two earned runs.  Three RU hits and a Greyhound error in the first led to three runs for the visitors, but White settled in after that, allowing just one run and four base runners over the next five innings to keep his team within striking distance.

UIndy (17-9, 8-2 GLVC) scored just three runs through the first six frames – two coming on sac flies from Chase Kittinger and one on a solo shot from Chris Ulrey – to make it 4-3 Hawks heading into the seventh.

Junior Matt Widick relieved White with two on and one out in the top of the seventh.  Another UIndy error allowed a potential double-play ground ball to plate the Hawks' fifth run, but Widick then coaxed a harmless fly ball to avert any further damage.

Now down two with just nine outs to go, the UIndy offense surged to the tune of five runs over the next two innings to record the come-from-behind win.  RBI singles from Zach Kreegar and Kittinger tied it, while a sacrifice fly from Travis Capps provided the game winner.

Senior David Early came on in a save situation in the ninth, and after plunking a batter on the first pitch he threw, the veteran reliever caught the next three Hawks looking at strike three to notch his fifth save of the season and make a winner of Widick (2-0).

Each of the first three Greyhound hitters recorded two hits apiece, while Kittinger, UIndy's five-hole hitter, finished with three ribbes.

GAME 2
Like RU did in the first game, UIndy put a three spot on the board its first turn at bat.  With the bases loaded, Kitinger drove in his fourth run of the day with a one-out single.  The Hawk left fielder misplayed the ball, allowing two more Hounds to touch the plate and give the home team a slight cushion.

The Hawks (11-11, 2-6) chipped away at the lead with single runs in the second and third innings, but Kittinger helped get both runs back on a single swing with a deep shot to left in the bottom of the third, good for his second homer of the year.

Rockhurst came right back in the top of the fourth with some fireworks of its own, however, as junior Ben Baker sent one over the leftfield fence with two runners on to knot it at five apiece.

Baker's shot proved to be a momentum shifter as the Hawks retired Indianapolis in order in the bottom of the fourth and hung two more on the board in the fifth to take the lead for good.  Senior DH Mike Walczuk inflicted the damage with a two-run, line-drive homer to left.

With the Hounds down 7-5, senior Chris Ulrey drew a leadoff walk in the ninth.  A wild pitch and two groundouts moved Ulrey all the way home, but the Eastern Illinois transfer proved to be the Hounds' only base runner of the frame, ensuring a one-run loss and the doubleheader split.

Kittinger went 2-for-2 with a hit by pitch and three RBI as the only Greyhound with multiple hits in the capper.  Ross, who had a single in each game, doubled his season's walk total by earning four passes on the day.


Note:  UIndy head coach Gary Vaught needs just five wins to reach 700 for his career.  The long-time skipper entered the season as the 15th winningest coach in Division II.