SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A date at the Super Regional is on deck for the University of Indianapolis baseball team as they cleaned house at the Midwest Regional 2, picking up a massive 11-1 victory over the No. 25-ranked and third seeded Maryville Saints, making it back-to-back-to-back victories over ranked opposition for the Greyhounds. The Hounds will now travel to the super-regional at the No. 6-ranked Quincy Hawks for a best-of-three series to see who will be going to Cary, N.C.
 
The Greyhounds become just the second seven-seed to ever reach the Super Regional, the only other being Charleston in 2019.
 
Outside of the history made by the Hounds, Drew Donaldson etched his name as the new run-scored king in the UIndy record book, scoring in the first inning. He upended a record held by Andy Henderson that was set in 1997 with 75. Donaldson now is the sole holder of first, with 77 and a change to add onto at Quincy.
 

? | RUNS-SCORED KING! ??

With the run he scored in the first, Drew Donaldson is the new single season runs scored leader! pic.twitter.com/kPaM0CfjpC

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) May 20, 2023

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It's as if history continues to repeat itself as the Hounds were fiery in the first inning, crossing four runs to set the tone for the contest. A Donaldson right-field single and a Caleb Vaughn walk set the table for Isaac Bair to drive in the first of the game. The history books continued to alter after that with Vaughn grabbing his 43rd stolen base of the year, inducing an error from the catcher allowing him to score. Nick Lukac laid the hammer down to finish the frame, smashing ball over the right field wall to make it 4-0.
 

? | Hot start! ????

Nick Lukac launches a ball over the right field wall to cap off a 4??-run first! pic.twitter.com/7JdIhkG1bY

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) May 20, 2023

 
From that point, Brady Ware went to work. The grad student from Poway, Calif. was locked in for his start, going scoreless through the first four. The Saints were able to eat into the Hounds lead with a RBI double in top of the fifth, but that was the only mistake on Ware's day. He would go clean the next two frames, ending his day with seven innings pitched on five hits and nine punchies.
 
The Hounds rewarded Ware's excellence and more with a seven-spot in the seventh, mimicking their seven-run seventh from the day prior. A Ware single started the party with one run scoring via a Brandon DeWitt fielder's choice. Vaughn carried the torch just two at bats after with a double into left that scored two and made it 7-1. Even though it wasn't raining, it continued to pour on the Saints with Bair adding two more RBIs to his day with a hot shot into centerfield. Zack Williams was the man to make it a multi-dinger day for the Hounds with a missile over the right field wall.
 

? | GONE FOREVER!

Zack Williams BLASTS a ball to make it ANOTHER 7??-run seventh! pic.twitter.com/SMkC7k6GO9

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) May 20, 2023

 
The combo of Austin Bestul and Wyatt Phillips were more than enough to shut down a dejected Saints squad in the eighth and ninth. With a ground ball to shortstop, the Hounds punched their ticket to the NCAA Super-Regional.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Bair continues to rake, going 2-4 with three ribbies to lead the Hounds
- The Hounds limited the free passes, giving out only three in the game.
- After his work today, Williams is batting .452 with a 1.226 OPS in his 33 games played.
 
HOUND BYTES
Head Coach Al Ready after defeating Maryville in back-to-back games…
"I told the fellas back in the early going of the season after losing to Maryville that we would probably see them again. I have to tip my cap to Pat Evers, he's done a really good job with that bunch, they were a really good ballclub, but the Hounds got hot down the stretch. The name on the front of the jersey didn't matter, we just got hot. We were going to beat anybody."
 
Ready after Donaldson's success…
"There's a direct correlation between Drew Donaldson's success and his work ethic. That's the thing you have to take away from this. You don't just roll out of bed and do those things; you have to work at it. I have to give Drew all of the credit, he get's more swings that probably anybody."
 
Donaldson after his record…
"It feels great to have any record to my name. I can't score without the guys behind me, Caleb, Teddy and Mook who are all hitting behind me. I score because of them. They are the ones bringing me in, I just happen to be on base."
 
UP NEXT
The Hounds are on the road to Quincy, Ill., for the NCAA Midwest Super Regional which begins on Friday, May 26. Stayed tuned to UIndyAthletics.com and on social media for further information.