Box score

ASHLAND, Ohio-  Maggie Swanson hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning helping UIndy to a 6-4 win in the championship game of the NCAA Midwest Regional at Brookside Park.  The win marked the first regional championship for softball at UIndy and puts the Hounds in the final 16 teams in all of Division II.

UIndy got things going right away with a hot smash to third by Maggie Swanson followed by a Megan Russell chopper on which Swanson alertly advanced all the way to third after the entire left side of the Warrior defense was forced out of position.  Ashley Boxley delivered the first run when she served a ball just over the outstretched shortstop's head.  Jessica Breeden later added an infield single to load the bases, but Casey Hanes got a strikeout to end the inning and further damage.

WSU got it back in the bottom of the frame on a double, later scoring on a sacrifice fly to deep center.  The Hounds retook the lead in the second when Maggie Swanson singled up the middle to score Chrissy Stephens, who led off the inning with a hit.  Swanson came around on Russell's single to right and the Greyhounds owned a 3-1 advantage through an inning and a half.

Rachel Spaccarotelli, the Wayne State nine-hole hitter, blasted a three-run shot to centerfield, giving the Warriors their first lead at 4-3 in the second.  The Hounds got the equalizer in the third on an RBI single from Carmen Martinez.

The pitchers began to settle in, each posting zeros in the next two innings.  The key play came in the bottom of the fifth with bases loaded and one out for WSU.  Jenny Swanson snared a hot grounder and fired home for the second out and Russell got a strikeout to end the threat keeping the score tied at 4-apiece.

The top of the next frame gave UIndy its winning runs when Maggie Swanson smashed a 1-2 offering deep over the centerfield wall for a two-run homer and a two-run lead.  The Greyhound defense tightened the screws in the seventh inning after a leadoff hit put the tying run at the plate.  Jenny Swanson made a stop at third and fired down to second for a force out then Martinez gobbled up a roller on the final out and UIndy celebrated its first-ever NCAA Regional championship in softball.

Maggie Swanson finished 4-for-4 on the day with three runs scored and three RBI.  The Hounds pounded out a dozen hits off Casey Hanes, who suffered just her ninth loss of the season (30-9), two of those coming at the hands of the Greyhounds this weekend.  Russell improved to 17-9, winning all three games at the tournament, allowing just four runs over 21 innings.

UIndy (34-18) will await the winner of Ferris State and Saginaw Valley State, who are playing in the other half of the bracket.  The winner will host the Hounds next weekend in a best-of-three series in the NCAA Midwest Super Regional.