LEBANON, Mo. – For the first time this year, the UIndy baseball team hit the road for conference play, opening a four-game series with McKendree University on Friday afternoon at Hypes Field.
 
The Greyhounds pounded out 13 hits on their way to a 7-5 comeback win in the opener. The Bearcats were able to salvage a split on the day with a 4-3 walk off win in game two, denying UIndy head coach Gary Vaught his 900th career win.
 
Kyle Orloff drove in four runs on the day for the Greyhounds and extended his hitting streak to 10 games while Alex Ritchie had a pair of three-hit contests for UIndy, who moved to 20-8 on the year and 7-3 in GLVC play.
 
GAME ONE: UIndy 7 – McKendree 5
 
Anthony Asalon wasted no time putting the Greyhounds out in front, sending the fifth pitch of the game from Ryan Cates over the right field wall for his team leading sixth round tripper of the year. Four batters later, Storm Joop made it 2-0 Hounds with a sac fly that brought Alex Ritchie home.
 
McKendree answered with a lead off blast of their own in the bottom of the second, but the Hounds reclaimed a two run lead in the third when Asalon came in to score on a Bearcat error to make it 3-1 Hounds.
 
The Bearcats put up a three spot in the bottom of the third to take their first lead of the day, but it wouldn't last long. Asalon knocked home his second run of the game with a single in the top of the fourth and later in the inning, Orloff made it 6-4 Hounds with a two-run double to deep center.
 
After another Bearcat run in the bottom of the fourth cut the lead to one, but it was the last time McKendree would plate a runner in the game. Orloff added an insurance run with two outs in the sixth, bringing home Ritchie with a single to center.
 
From there, the Greyhound pitching staff took over, as four UIndy hurlers held McKendree to just two hits over the final 4 2/3 innings. Matt Kaplanis moved to 7-0 on the year after allowing all five runs on 10 with a pair of walks and three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. Dylan Stutsman struck out a pair in the ninth to earn his eighth save of the season.
 
GAME TWO: McKendree 4 – Uindy 3
 
Brendan Dudas got the scoring started in game two, bringing home Joe Trennepohl with a sac fly in the top of the second. McKendree tied things up in the bottom of the inning but UIndy took the lead right back when Joop's two-out double to left brought Ritchie home to make it 2-1 Hounds.
 
McKendree responded with runs in the third and fourth innings to take the lead, but Orloff evened things up in the fifth inning, scoring Ritchie from third with a sac fly.
 
Both offenses stalled in the sixth and after the Hounds went quietly in the seventh, McKendree loaded the bases with no in the bottom of the inning. UIndy starter Jake Shaw battled back to get the next two batters out, but he hit Connor Devault with a 2-2 pitch that allowed the winning run to score.
 
Shaw (3-3) allowed three earned runs on six hits with one walk and six Ks in a complete game effort.
 
The two teams will wrap up the four-game set on Saturday with another double header at Hypes Field. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00 p.m. eastern time.