ROMEOVILLE, Ill.- Behind the power of six homeruns, including the UIndy career record-breaker from
Jamie Keltz in game one, No. 21 UIndy (29-10-1, 12-6 GLVC) handed No. 18 Lewis (28-9, 17-3 GLVC) just its second and third conference losses of the season with 9-0 and 11-2 victories over the host Flyers Thursday.
NO. 21 UINDY 9 - NO. 18 LEWIS 0 (6 INNINGS)
The Greyhounds got on the scoreboard early with a single run in the top of the second inning.
Jessica Breeden led the frame off with a double to right, and was brought home on a single to centerfield by
Kelsey Rummel two batters later.
UIndy staked itself to a 4-0 lead three innings later, with pitcher
Jennifer DeMotte helping her own cause by sending a ball over the left-center fence. DeMotte's second home run of the year was of the three-run variety, scoring
Jamie Keltz and
Che' Hanebrink.
The Greyhounds picked up two more runs later that inning, with back-to-back hits by
Cori Eckerle and Breeden putting runners on second and third.
DeVyn Barker sent a ball to the third-base side that was mis-played, allowing both Eckerle and Breeden to score, running the score to 6-0 in favor of UIndy.
Keltz put UIndy up 7-0 on a solo shot to centerfield to lead off the sixth inning. The homer was the 37th of Keltz's Greyhound career, making her the program's new career homerun leader.
With the bases loaded later in the frame, Breeden sent a single through the left side to score both DeMotte and Hanebrink, pushing the score to 9-0 Greyhounds.
DeMotte (17-4) earned the win, tossing a two-hitter to shutout the Flyers (28-8, 17-2 GLVC). She struck out six, and was also 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs on the offense. Breeden also finished the game 3-for-3 at the dish, with two runs scored and two RBIs in the contest.
NO. 21 UINDY 11 - NO. 18 LEWIS 2
Eckerle put UIndy up early again in game two, on a one-out, solo homerun to centerfield in the top of the second inning.
The Flyers plated their first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning. Stephanie Harmon led off for Lewis with a double to centerfield, and her pinch runner was brought home on a single up the middle by Kayla Smith two batters later.
A fielding error by the Lewis shortstop with the bases loaded and no one out in the top of fifth led to two more Greyhound runs, and DeMotte added three more on her second three-run homer of the day a batter later.
Krysta Bradford, Rummel and Keltz all scored after hitting singles to reach base. Hanebrink scored on the DeMotte homer, after reaching on the Flyer fielding error.
Lewis plated a lone run in the fifth to cut the Greyhound lead to four. Keltz answered back in the top of the sixth with her second homer of the day, a two-run shot to right center. Rummel scored on the play to improve UIndy's lead to 8-2.
Eckerle added another run in the seventh on her second homer of the day, another solo shot, pushing the score to 9-2 UIndy. With Barker, who pinch-ran for
Shelby Owens, and Breeden on base four batters later, Rummel singled to left field to bring in two more Greyhound runs, making the final score 11-2.
Lauren Edwards (7-4) earned the win in the circle for UIndy, surrendering both earned runs while striking out four en route the win. Keltz finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Eckerle closed out the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Eckerle was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Next up for UIndy is a GLVC doubleheader at Bellarmine Saturday. First pitch from Louisville is slated for noon.
NOTES: Keltz now holds the UIndy career records for homeruns, hits, runs scored, at bats and stolen bases. She is second in the UIndy career listings in RBIs and is in the top five in both career doubles and triples...Prior to Thursday's doubleheader, DeMotte had just one HR on the season, and her Greyhound career.
