INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 22-ranked UIndy baseball team had a chance to draw even in their weekend series with Notre Dame College on Saturday. UIndy was able to do just that, jumping out to a 12-run lead through three innings on their way to a 16-12 win over the Falcons.
 
The Greyhounds (3-2) battered the Falcons (1-1) pitching staff to the tune of 16 hits on the day. Nick Miller and Blake Richardson had knocks each and John Eberhardt hit his third home run of the year and drove in five runs for UIndy. Six Greyhounds finished with at least one run driven in as UIndy reached double digits in runs for the third straight game.
 
UIndy jumped on top for good in their first trip to the plate, starting with a first-pitch double from Storm Joop. The junior third baseman would come in to score later in the inning on an RBI ground out from Kyle Orloff, spotting UIndy an early 1-0 lead.
 
Notre Dame evened things up in the second on an errant pick-off attempt that allowed an unearned run to score from third, but the game wouldn't stay tied for very long. After the first three Greyhounds reached to open the inning, UIndy jumped back in front on back-to-back bases loaded walks issued to Devon Hensley and Joop.
 
Miller made it 4-1 with an RBI single and was followed by another RBI ground out from Orloff and a no-doubt three-run home run off the bat of Eberhardt to make it 8-1.
 
The onslaught continued in the next inning. Brendan Dudas brought Richardson home with a triple and would later score on a wild pitch. Miller added to the lead with another single and Eberhardt plated two more with a two-out single of his own, stretching the lead to 13-1 after three innings.
 
But the game was far from over and the Falcons began to charge back, taking advantage of one error in the fourth and two more in the fifth to cut the deficit to 14-8. The Falcons added another run in the sixth and three more in the seventh and suddenly it was a 15-12 game.
 
Needing to stop the Notre Dame offense, the Hounds turned the ball over to closer Dylan Stutsman and the junior was lights-out over the final two innings, allowing just an infield single as he nailed down his second save of the year.
 
Making his first start of the year, Jake Shaw (2-0) picked up the win after allowing one earned run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts over five innings of work.
 
With the series tied at a game apiece, the Hounds and Falcons will be back at it tomorrow for the rubber match at Greyhound Park. First pitch is set for noon.