EAST PEORIA, IL - The No. 3 University of Indianapolis softball team opened the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament with a win on Saturday, downing Rockhurst 4-1 in East Peoria, IL.  Emily O'Connor went a perfect three-for-three at the plate while Kenzee Smith struck out 11 in a complete game performance.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Rockhurst led off the game with a triple but a strike out and pair of ground outs held them scoreless.  The Hounds loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame but also were unable to score any runs.

O'Connor laced up a single up the middle in the fourth for UIndy's first base runner since the first inning.  Hanna Burris brought her home with a triple down to right field for the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Hounds plated three more runs off of five hits.  Dominique Proctor knocked a triple down the right field line before scoring on a single from Megan Nichols.  Lexy Rees doubled down the left field line to score Nichols and O'Connor capped off the inning with a RBI single.

The Hawks responded in the top of the sixth after a lead off walk eventually scored on a ground out.  The comeback bid was short lived as Smith struck out the side in the seventh to hold on for the win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- O'Connor led the Hounds with three hits while Rees went two-for-three.
- Nichols, Rees, O'Connor and Burris each recorded one RBI.
- Smith went the distance in the circle, striking out 11 and only giving up three hits in her 24th win of the season.

UP NEXT
The Hounds advance to the GLVC semifinals on Sunday at 1:30 pm ET where they'll face the No. 3 seed Drury.