INDIANAPOLIS—The No. 6-ranked UIndy softball team endured its first loss in nearly a month on Friday, splitting a home doubleheader versus McKendree. The Greyhounds upped their win streak to 18 with a 2-0 shutout in game 1, but the Bearcats returned the favor in the capper with a 7-0 victory.
 
GAME 1 | UIndy 2, McK 0
In the GLVC's marquee pitching matchup, All-American Kenzee Smith took on McKendree No. 1 Ellie Quaethem. Both student-athletes appeared on the recently-released Tucci/NFCA DII Player & Pitcher of the Year Watchlist as the only two GLVC pitchers on the list.
 
The aces kept their opponents' bats quiet through five innings, but the sixth proved adventurous for both. The Bearcats had their best scoring chance of the game in the top half, putting runners on first and third with one out. But Smith delivered a couple of nasty change-ups to Olivia Stransbury before freezing the Bearcat first baseman for a backwards K. Then third baseman Emily O'Connor barehanded a dribbler down the line before Shelby Cook made a great pick at first to end the threat.
 
Megan Nichols led off the bottom of the sixth and promptly provided the first run of the game with a solo shot to left. Emily O-Connor made it back-to-back jacks, depositing a 3-2 pitch into the right field netting to make it 2-0.
 

?? | Back-to-back HUGE plays and the Hounds have the lead!! pic.twitter.com/iVN0fOKMjs

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) April 7, 2023

 
There the score would stay, as Smith pitched around two more base runners in the top of the seventh to complete the shutout. She moved to 20-3 on the year, striking out seven and walking only one. Quaethem fell to 13-3.
 
GAME 2 | Mck 7, UIndy 0
UIndy had a rocky start the game two, as the Bearcats pushed across five runs in the top of the first. They had three hits in the frame and took advantage of five walks.
 
Meanwhile, McKendree's game 2 starter Sophia Koesterer threw perhaps the best game of her career, spinning a two-hit shutout against the loaded UIndy lineup.
 
UIndy employed three pitchers in the contest, highlighted by freshman Alexa Huth's five strikeouts in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
 
Lexy Rees and Shelby Cook accounted for the two base hits, both infield singles.
 
UP NEXT
UIndy's homestand rolls on with another double at Baumgarnter Field tomorrow. The top two teams in the GLVC standings face off, as the Greyhounds host Maryville University starting at noon Eastern.