INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – In doubleheader action at Greyhound Park on Saturday, the University of Indianapolis softball team split a pair of games versus visiting Bellarmine.  The Knights edged the Hounds, 2-1, in the opener, but the UIndy bats came alive in the second game, taking it by a 6-0 count.  Freshman Megan Russell hurled a complete game shutout in game two to pick up her tenth win.

 

Bellarmine (18-28, 6-14) hung a run on the board right out of the gate as Knights’ leadoff hitter Emily O’Bryan benefited from a fortuitous bounce before her hit to center cleared the fences.  Greyhound centerfielder Jessica Breeden chased O’Bryan’s drive to the wall only to have the ball fall in and out her mitt and drop on the outside of the fence.

 

UIndy starter Amanda Wendlinger retired the next three batters and continued to cruise through the next three innings.  The visitors tacked on another run in the fifth to cap their scoring for the day.

 

The Hounds, held scoreless for six innings, mounted a two-out rally in the seventh and final inning.  Lacey Werner coaxed a walk and advanced to second on an infield single by Julie Zaitz.  Wendlinger followed by plating Werner with a single to left to bring the Hounds within one.  The tying run would be stranded at second, however, as Bellarmine starter Emily Hardy got the ground ball she needed to end the threat and the game.

 

Indianapolis (23-16, 10-8) exploded for four runs in the first and two more in the second to put Bellarmine in a deep hole early.  The Hounds began the bottom of the first with a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles before Colleen Roach wrapped the ball around the leftfield foul pole for a three-run dinger.

 

Game two starter Megan Russell helped her own cause in the second as her double down the leftfield line scored Kathy Blanchard.  Roach followed Russell with a run-scoring single for her fourth and final RBI of the game.

 

Though Russell collected two hits at the plate, her main contribution came from the pitcher’s circle.  The Franklin Central product scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings to notch her third shutout of the season.  The freshman also struck out 10 hitters while walking only one.

 

UIndy stays at home for another doubleheader on Sunday.  The Hounds will face Northern Kentucky with the first pitch scheduled for 12 pm.