WESTFIELD, Ind. – The UIndy baseball program began a new season Friday afternoon up in Grand Park as the Greyhounds took on the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers. The Hounds are led by first year head coach Al Ready after Gary Vaught retired last year after 27 seasons at the helm for UIndy. The new season started on a high note for the Hounds as they topped the Rangers, 11-5.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Parkside was the first to draw blood, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning. UIndy got on the board in the fourth inning after a
Hunter Waning double brought in
Joe Kenney. Kenny came around to score the next at-bat when a
Tyler Phillips single tied the game for the Hounds.
The flood gates opened just an inning later when the Hounds put up six runs on the Rangers in the fifth frame.
Macy Holdsworth.,
Blake Richardson, Waning, and
Kian Bukala all drove in runs to put the Hounds up 8-2. Parkside came back with a couple runs in the 8th before Holdsworth knocked in three more in the bottom half of the inning before the Hounds won, 11-5.
Corey Bates logged a quality start in his Greyhound debut. The East Tennessee transfer went six innings for the Hounds, only surrendering the two early runs. Bates finished with eight strikeouts, while not walking one opposing batter, and only allowed gave up five hits of the 23 batters he faced. The bullpen came in and took care of the rest for the Hounds with
Zach Saffell,
Christian Beard, and
Nick Foy finishing things off for the win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-UIndy's 11 runs is their most in a season-opener since 2016 when the Hounds put up 20 against Notre Dame College
-The Greyhounds combined for five extra-base against the Rangers with Holdsworth and Waning each getting two doubles
-Bates' eight strikeouts is the most by a UIndy starting pitcher in the season opener since
Matthew Kaplanis struck out seven to begin the 2015 season.
UP NEXT
The Hounds are back in action here in at Grand Park tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Rangers beginning at 11 am.
