INDIANAPOLIS—The sixth-ranked UIndy softball team pulled out a pair of dramatic victories Saturday against the visiting Drury Lady Panthers. The Greyhounds earned a 3-2 walk-off win in the first contest, then held off a late surge for an exciting 4-3 victory in the capper.
 
Sophomore Megan Nichols had four hits on the day, including a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh in game one.
 
GAME 1 | UIndy 3, Drury 2
The opener featured a marquee pitching matchup with All-American Kenzee Smith and reigning GLVC Pitcher of the Year Kristina Bettis going head-to-head. The two aces dueled to a 2-2 stalemate until the bottom of the seventh when the Hounds delivered the fatal blow.
 
Maddy Stout got the rally started with a leadoff single and was moved up by a Tori Angles sacrifice. Jocelyn Calvin followed with a hard-hit single up the middle, with Stout wisely holding up at third.
 
That set the stage for Nichols, who sent a full-count offering back up the middle to bring home the game-winning run.
 

?? | Megan Nichols WALKS IT OFF for the Hounds!!@UIndySoftball x #GLVCsb pic.twitter.com/LSi4147Rb2

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) April 22, 2023

 
Smith (25-3) got the W in the circle, striking out seven to match her win total from last season.
 
Nichols went 3-for-4 with a double, adding a stolen base in the first inning. She was later caught stealing in the fifth, snapping her school-record streak of 49 successful stolen base attempts in a row. Lexy Rees had a pair of knocks and added a run and a ribbie.
 
GAME 2 | UIndy 4, Drury 3
The Greyhounds built a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh and final inning. With two down and no one on base, starting pitcher Jayden Casebolt was knocking on the door of her third complete-game shutout of the season before the Panthers suddenly clawed back.
 
Two bloops and a bomb followed to quickly position the visitors within striking distance. UIndy then went to freshman hurler Alexa Huth, but the Panthers sandwiched an infield single with a pair of walks to load the bases and keep the pressure on.
 
With the tying run just 60 feet away, head coach Melissa Frost went back to her ace. Smith came in and promptly threw three straight balls, but with nowhere to put the batter, the hometown hero calmly fired two strikes before inducing a game-ending ground ball to earn the save and seal the sweep.
 
Rees, Jocelyn Calvin and Dominique Proctor each a two hits, while Nichols joined the former as the only Greyhounds to go yard on the day. Casebolt (10-1) had a two-hitter working before running into trouble in the seventh but ultimately earned the win.
 
UP NEXT
Senior Day is on tap when the Hounds host Southwest Baptist tomorrow in the final home doubleheader of the regular season. First pitch is set for noon Eastern.