Box score
DETROIT, Mich.-- Each team was scheduled to play just one game on the opening day of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional softball tournament Friday at Wayne State, but Saginaw Valley State and Indianapolis dueled for a doubleheader's-worth of innings before a victor emerged. After 13 straight scoreless innings, the Cardinals plated three to earn the 3-0 win in the first game of the four-team, double-elimination bracket.
It was a classic pitchers' dual as both teams hung zeroes on the scoreboard for over three hours. Opportunities were plentiful, though, despite the lack of scoring. Each time the opposing team threatened, good pitching and timely defensive plays thwarted chances for either team to take control.
One of UIndy's best opportunities came in the fifth inning when
Megan Russell and
Ashley Boxley had back-to-back singles to chase SVSU starter Kari Bowlby.
Lauren Memmer came on and got the third out of the inning and then proceeded to allow just two more hits in the next 8.1 innings of work to keep the Hounds at bay. She wiggled free of another jam in the 11th inning when Russell (hit by pitch) and Boxley (error) again both reached with just one down. A flyout and a strikeout followed and the Hounds squelched another opportunity.
Meanwhile, Russell was keeping the Cardinals off the board by stranding base runners. The Cards had runners on in every inning except three in the 14-inning affair but only managed to score in the final frame. Russell threw over 200 pitches before Shannon McLaughlin's leadoff homer in the top of the 14th produced the first run. The Cards would eventually load the bases with two outs and cash in two more on a two-run single from Angie Kaiser.
There was just one earned run on Russell's line as the other two runs scored after a Greyhound error to extend the inning. She finished the day by throwing all 14 innings, scattering 12 hits with 12 strikeouts.
At the plate, Russell was on base in five of her six plate appearances, grabbing three of UIndy's five hits for the game. Boxley notched the other two hits but the Hounds couldn't push one across.
UIndy will take on Quincy at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, who lost to host Wayne State in the day's second game. The loser of that game will be eliminated and the winner will play immediately following against the loser of the 11:00 a.m. game between Wayne State and SVSU.
Notes: The Greyhounds are making their third straight trip to the NCAA tournament ... UIndy is the defending Midwest Region champion ... Friday's game was the fifth extra-inning game for UIndy this season (3-2 record) ... The game was the longest for an Indianapolis team since game-by-game records are available (2001).
