DETROIT – UIndy freshman Tayler Weck delivered the biggest hit of her young collegiate career Saturday.  Her two-run double in the sixth inning proved to be the game winner in the Greyhounds' 2-1 victory against Ashland at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional 2.  The result sets up a rematch with Grand Valley State this afternoon at 4 p.m.  GVSU defeated the Greyhounds, 8-0, in the yesterday's opening round match-up.  Today's winner will advance to Sunday's regional final versus Wayne State, while the loser will be eliminated.

After four scoreless innings from both teams Saturday, Ashland (27-20) finally broke through in the top of the sixth when Jamie Weber delivered a two-out single to score Sarah Alley with the game's first run.  It marked the first run for Ashland in the teams' three-game NCAA history versus the Hounds.  UIndy had won the three previous tournament games versus the Eagles by a combined score of 19-0, including 10-0 win versus last season.
 
Meanwhile, UIndy (43-12) made its first serious threat in the third but ultimately stranded a pair of runners on the base paths.  Senior Cori Eckerle worked a one-out walk, and junior Sydney Russell followed with a single to deep short, but consecutive hard-hit balls straight to third baseman Kayla Prokopakis ended the threat.
 
The Hounds managed multiple base runners in the next two innings as well but could not come up with the timely hit until the sixth.

Down 1-0 late, Taylor Russell went the opposite way for a leadoff single.  An Alexa Alfaro walk and a Jenny Thompson bunt put two runners in scoring position for  Weck.  The Plainfield, Ill., native fell behind 0-2 but fouled off four tough pitches before ripping a shot to the left field corner, plating two runs and give the Hounds their first lead of the game.
 
UIndy pitcher Morgan Foley shut the door on a potential game-tying rally in the seventh.  The sophomore All-America candidate pitched around a leadoff single to earn the complete-game win.  She scattered eight hits and just one walk to up her record to 32-7 on the season.
 
Taylor Russell finished with half of the Hounds' four base hits.  Alfaro and Eckerle had two walks apiece.

Links to live stats and an audio stream for this afternoon's match-up with Grand Valley can be found on the tournament's official homepage.


Note:  The defeat marked the second for Ashland at the regional, ending its 2014 season.  The Eagles fell, 3-0, to host Wayne State in yesterday's first-round game ... Wayne State advanced to the final with a 3-0 win versus Grand Valley earlier today.