Game 1: Quincy 12, Indianapolis 2 (6 inn.)
Game 2: Indianapolis 8, Quincy 7 (9 inn.)
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.- Sophomore Lauren Booten smacked a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to help UIndy to a doubleheader split with visiting Quincy in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Baumgartner Field on Friday afternoon. The hit sealed a win for the Greyhounds which featured three separate comebacks in a thrilling affair despite chilly weather.
Quincy struck for a four-spot in the first frame of game one, sending 10 batters to the plate in the opening inning. The big blow was a two-run shot by Jasmyn Wentland, one of five Quincy homers for the game, to put the Hawks up 2-0. Two singles and a pair of walks coupled with a Greyhound error helped plate two more as Quincy left the bases loaded in the first.
The score stayed that way until the third inning when the Hounds loaded the bases on three straight walks chasing QU starter Korby Paul. UIndy got two back in the inning on an RBI groundout from Lauren Booten and a run-scoring single by Megan Russell.
The Hawks roared back for three more run in the fourth inning on the strength of three extra-base hits. A leadoff double followed by a double plated one before Melissa Sommerfeld hit a two-run homer to centerfield for an 8-2 Quincy lead. The homer barrage continued as Missy Weaver connected on her second homer of the game to make it 9-2 Quincy in the fifth.
QU hammered its fifth homer of the game when Sarah LoBue hit a three-run blast to left center to put the game out of reach. The Greyhounds mustered just four hits in the loss.
Game two saw UIndy grab a quick 3-0 lead by virtue of the first three Hound batters crossing the plate. Colleen Roach hit a two-run double and later scored on Booten's base knock for the early Greyhound advantage. UIndy added a single run in the third but QU countered with three in the fourth and another in the fifth to tie the score at 4-all.
From that point, Quincy posted runs in each of the next seventh through ninth innings only to see the Greyhounds rally to tie the score in the bottom of the frame. QU took its first lead of the game on the first pitch of the seventh inning as Mary Wiedman cleared the right centerfield fence for a 5-4 Hawk lead.
Booten doubled home pinch runner Endea Coles in the bottom of the frame for the equalizer. Coles' head-first slide just beat the throw to send it to extra innings. After Quincy again took a one-run lead in the eighth, UIndy answered with an unearned run when the Hawks' middle infielders collided on a popup allowing Julie Zaitz to score all the way from second.
In the ninth, the Hounds gave the unearned run back to Quincy when a bobbled groundball helped the Hawks regain the lead for a third time at 7-6. But, it would be short-lived as Russell led off the ninth with a triple down the right field line and Booten followed with the game-winning homer to salvage the split.
Courtney Smith picked-up the win for UIndy, throwing nine innings, allowing four earned runs while scattering nine hits and striking out five. The Hounds' bats produced 14 hits in the nightcap, four coming from Booten and three more by Russell. Booten drove-in four while Roach had a pair of RBI.
The Greyhounds continue GLVC play on Saturday, hosting Missouri-Rolla for a noon first pitch at Baumgartner Field.
