INDIANAPOLIS—The No. 1-seed UIndy softball team wrapped up a successful run through the NCAA DII Midwest Regional Saturday. The host Greyhounds took down fourth-seeded Lewis, 2-1, in the regional final to earn their third NCAA tournament win in as many days.
 
UIndy moves on to the NCAA DII Midwest Super Regional and will again play host. The Hounds will welcome the  No. 2-seed Grand Valley State Lakers for a best-of-three series, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, May 18-19 (times TBD). The winner earns the Midwest Region trophy and a spot at the NCAA DII Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn., later this month.
 
Senior Emily O'Connor's timely single in the bottom of the third drove in her 66th run of the season, setting a new UIndy softball record.
 

?? | RBI number 66! Emily O'Connor breaks the program single-season record with this knock to give the Hounds a 2-0 lead in the 3rd ?? pic.twitter.com/BLiavlyLrC

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) May 13, 2023

HOW IT HAPPENED
Taking on the Flyers for the fifth time this season and third time in the last week, the Greyhounds recorded their third straight one-run win of the tournament. UIndy plated two runs in the third and held off a late seventh-inning surge from Lewis to hang on.
 
Kenzee Smith (34-4) was once again a force in the circle. The GLVC Pitcher of the Year spun her third complete game in as many days, tossing all 25 innings for UIndy at the NCAA Regional.
 
Coming off an 11-inning, complete game versus this same Lewis team yesterday in which she threw 183 pitches, Smith showed little signs of fatigue. The hometown product scattered six hits and allowed just one run all day. She kept the Flyers grounded through the first six innings and escaped a potential jam in the seventh to secure the win.
 
UIndy's best inning offensively came in the bottom of the third. Carlie Huelsing led things off with a walk and Jocelyn Calvin followed with a double to make it second and third with one out. The Hounds then delivered back-to-back RBI singles to take the lead, with Megan Nichols and O'Connor providing the punch.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
-Huelsing's walk and run scored came in her first career start as a Greyhound.
-O'Connor broke the previous RBI record of 65 set by Taylor Russell in 2015.
.-UIndy won four of the five games against Lewis this season, including all four in which Smith started.
-UIndy's win total of 53 is one shy of matching the school record set back in 2013.
-Maddy Stout upped her program record for HBPs in a season to 20 to take sole possession of the GLVC lead.