INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 2 UIndy softball team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II Championship today, defeating 21st-ranked Trevecca Nazarene in game three of the Midwest Super Regional, 6-0.
Set to start Sunday, May 19 in Orlando, Fla., the DII "World Series" will welcome the nation's eight region champs, with the Greyhounds making their third-ever appearance and first since 2015.
UIndy will face the champions of the Atlantic Region, the Charleston Golden Eagles, on Sunday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The eight-team, double-elimination bracket runs through Saturday, May 25 when the 2024 national champion will be crowned.
INS & OUTS
After the teams split the first two games of the Super Regional, ace pitcher
Kenzee Smith was once again phenomenal in the circle in game three. She surrendered just one hit and two walks in the complete-game shutout, including retiring 14 consecutive batters at one point.
Meanwhile, Smith garnered two hits at the plate, with her second-inning single plating the game's first run.
The UIndy lead grew to three in the fourth inning, then ballooned to six after a three-run surge in the fifth. Smith drove a pitch to the wall for an RBI double, matched by
Emily O'Connor's run-scoring double an inning later.
UIndy ultimately saw production from the entire lineup. Eight Greyhounds finished with at least one hit, while
Braxton Downs—the only hitless Hound—drove in a runs with a sac fly.
INSIDE THE BOX
- UIndy upped its program-record win total to 58.
-
Megan Nichols,
Lexy Rees and Smith had two base hits apiece, while
Shelby Cook managed a single and a walk.
- O'Connor's celebrated a birthday today
