INDIANAPOLIS – It was a special moment on the campus of the University of Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon, specifically Greyhound Park where the UIndy baseball team won both games of a doubleheader against the visiting McKendree Bearcats.
 
Yes, the Greyhounds earned a pair of much-needed GLVC victories, which included a Tyler Phillips walk-off single in game one that set up the special moment, which transpired at the conclusion of the second contest.
 
UIndy head coach Gary Vaught, who is in his 24th season at the helm of the baseball program, earned his 800th win as the leader of the Hounds with the 11-7 game-two victory. It came in front of a season-high number of fans at Greyhound Park, including members of the 2000 and 2012 NCAA Division II College World Series teams.
 
Those teams, among the other 22 squads that Vaught had the honor coaching, deserve the credit. At least, that is what the man himself says.
 
"I'll tell you what it means," the longest-tenured head coach at UIndy began. "It means I've had 24 wonderful years with a bunch of kids coming in here and playing hard."
 
"From the very first win we had here in '94 until now; it's a tribute to my coaches, they're doing the job."
 
Of course, win number 800 could not come without 799, which was not to be just handed over by the Bearcats. Overall, starting hurler Jake Sprinkle scattered seven hits over 7.1 innings, but made one mistake in the third inning that McKendree's Corey Chambliss launched onto National Avenue.
 
Bearcat southpaw Jack Strieker pitched the best game of his season to date, as the freshman did not give up a hit until Kyle Orloff made him pay after a two-out walk sent Hunter Waning to first base. Orloff, who drew his first start since the series at Lewis in late March, smashed a game-tying homer on the second pitch of the at-bat.
 
After Dylan Stutsman retired the final two batters of the eighth inning in relief of Sprinkle, Orloff was at it again in the Hounds' half of the frame, popping up to shallow right-center field, deep enough for Storm Joop to cross the plate from third base.
 
Up 3-2, Stutsman surrendered the lead with an out in the ninth, but limited the damage to what could have been more than just a single tally for the Bearcats. Joe Kenney led off the bottom of the ninth with a bean ball before advanced into scoring position, thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Macy Holdsworth. Two batters later, Tyler Phillips – who found the warning track in his first plate appearance and lined one to center in his second – wasted no time in the final frame, hitting a laser to the left-field wall to drive in Kenney and walk it off for the Greyhounds.
 
Stutsman earned his third win of the season out of the bullpen, while Orloff increased his season RBI total to 23.
 
UIndy rode its momentum into the second game, which commenced soon after the alum that were in attendance were recognized.
 
The Greyhounds scored in each inning they had an at-bat, scoring 11 runs off four McKendree pitchers. After Joop walked to lead off the game, Dylan Jones plated the senior with a double down the left-field line for the early one-run advantage.
 
Holdsworth snapped an 0-for-17 with a double in the second that scored Kenney to begin the second inning, while Joop doubled home Devon Hensley three batters later. Jones homered in the third, his team-best eighth of the season, to give the team a 4-0 lead.
 
Lefty Tyler Hosto was perfect through three innings, but could only get a pair of outs before Jon Crawford relieved the sophomore in the fourth after surrendering two runs to the Bearcats. Holdsworth reached on a walk in the Hounds' fourth, then came around the score on a sacrifice bunt, wild pitch, and balk – in that order – to give the hosts an insurance run, which would prove to be beneficial down the stretch.
 
The Greyhounds needed three pitchers to complete the fifth inning, as Christian Beard allowed a two-run shot to inch the Bearcats within one, and Myc Witty surrendered a run that tied the game when he came in relief for Chris Boettcher.
 
UIndy was determined, however, after allowing three runs in the top of the inning, as it scored three of its own in the bottom half. Jones continued his hot streak in the second game, singling home Waning with one out. Kent Reeser, who pinch-ran for Jones, then came around to score on a McKendree miscue, which also allowed Holdsworth to execute a suicide squeeze that scored Trey Smith.
 
Once again, the Bearcats clawed back, getting within a run after the top of the sixth, but another crooked number on the home half of the scoreboard would soon change the mood in the stands. After a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by Nick Miller scored Hensley, Waning and Conor White used a double steal to score another run for the Hounds. White scurried home during Smith's at-bat, when the pitch got away from McKendree pitcher Brian Christianson.
 
Stutsman closed out the game again, this time with no visiting baserunners crossing the plate.
 
The Hounds improved to 23-14 on the season, with a 5-9 mark in GLVC action. McKendree, who has won just one conference game so far this season, moved to 6-29.
 
"It means a lot to me. My staff, my players…" Vaught said later, before pausing.
 
"It's to them."
 
Today marks the first time McKendree becomes part of the win saga for Vaught, who has now defeated seven different programs in each milestone victory.
 
On March 26, 1998, Division-I IUPUI became win number 100 for Vaught, who only needed two more seasons before securing his 200th against College of Saint Rose on May 29, 2000. Kentucky Wesleyan proved to be wins 300 and 400 in 2003 and 2006, while the half-century mark was earned against Wisconsin-Parkside on April 25, 2009.
 
In what shows consistency more than anything else, wins 600, 700, and now 800 came on nearly identical weekend dates against conference opponents. April 18, 2012 saw St. Joseph's College become the 600th victory for Vaught, while April 19, 2015 it was Bellarmine for his 700th win.
 
The head man truly cares that this victory came at Greyhound Park, in front of UIndy fans, alumni, and supporters.
 
"It made it special," Vaught began.
 
"I've been given the opportunity to win here. From our athletics director Sue Willey, who's been very supportive of our program, as well as administrators like Scott Young and the guys in sports information, it's a win for everybody."
 
Career-win number 800 is important, but Vaught will not harp on it too much longer.
 
"We have to win two games tomorrow. My big thing is to focus on is that I want to take this team to regionals. We have a chance, and hopefully we keep this thing going."
 
Regionals, as well as tomorrow's series finale with McKendree, loom in the near future, but wins like today do not come often. Winning number 800 at home is incredibly special, as Vaught said.
 
But winning as many games as he has, special moments are bottled up and celebrated later. Eight-hundred has come and past, Gary Vaught is worried about wins 24 and 25 for the 2018 campaign, which could come tomorrow against the same Bearcats.
 
First pitch between UIndy and McKendree is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Greyhound Park for a Sunday matinee.