Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With runners on second and third in a tie ballgame with intense-GLVC-baseball implications, Armen Torosian came to the dish. The junior out of Schaumburg, Ill. took a 1-2 pitch deep over the left field wall, not only putting the UIndy baseball team up 7-4, but also securing a series victory against the Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars in his home state. With that win the Hounds moved to 16-4 in GLVC baseball action, becoming the second team in the conference to reach 20 wins.
 

If you know you know… singing OUR song #silverhairedfox pic.twitter.com/zCTY4bS9DY

— UIndy Baseball (@UIndyBaseball) April 7, 2024

 
On the day, it was Cole Hampton going off from the plate, as the graduate student tallied six RBIs including a big-three-run homer and a double in the first game of the doubleheader. Nick Lukac, returning to centerfield this series, led the Hounds in hits in game two, scoring a run on the day as well.
 
GAME 1 | UIS 8, UIndy 6
After a pitchers dual for the first two frames of the seven-inning contest, it was the Prairie Stars that struck first, taking advantage of a lapse in control by Logan Petersen, scoring on a wild pitch. That was just the jab as the P-Stars delivered a big blow in the fourth, slapping six runs on the board on five hits.
 
A run in the bottom of the sixth off Steven Jones made it a seven-run advantage for the home team. But as always, the Cardiac Hounds do not quit. The Hounds put up three runs in the top of the fifth off the aforementioned Hampton dinger.
 
Two frames later, Hampton sparked another rally, scoring both Zack Williams and Drew Donaldson on a one-out double. Caleb Vaughn made it double-double trouble with a RBI knock into right field to bring the lead down to two. With the winning run at third, the P-Stars got the out they were looking for versus Luis Vergara, ending the game in exciting fashion.
 
GAME 2 | UIndy 7, UIS 4
Game two once again started with the starting pitcher dealing for both sides. Jackson Kirkpatrick for the Hounds was lights out for the first three frames, nabbing five punchies. UIS finally dealt a blow to the big fella on the bump, tallying three hits and two runs to put UIS up by a pair.
 
Drew Donaldson was the response writer for the Hounds in the fifth, scoring Lukac on a sacrifice fly. UIS kept their lead at two, however, scratching their own run across in the bottom half of the frame. They eventually stretched it to three runs with an RBI groundout in the seventh.
 
But the eighth is where the comeback kids came to play. With their rally caps donned, Williams kicked off the party with a big RBI single to centerfield to make it 4-2 UIS. Sloppy defense by the Prairie Stars made it just a one run lead. Dakota Sill later tied up the game with an RBI groundout right back to the pitcher, setting the scene for Torosian to make fireworks happen.
 

3??-RUN BOMB BY @armen_4 AND THE HOUNDS ARE ON TOP IN GAME 2???? pic.twitter.com/Xo8jrfP3qW

— UIndy Baseball (@UIndyBaseball) April 6, 2024

 
With a three-run lead, EJ White was once again called on out of the 'pen in the ninth, recording the final out of the ballgame himself for his seventh save of the year and 11th of his career.
 
UP NEXT
Short rest for the Hounds with a familiar foe on the horizon as it is a battle of the Hoosier-DIIs with UIndy making the trip up I-65 North to Hammond, Ind. to battle it out with the Purdue Northwest Pride in a Tuesday doubleheader. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. ET with the Hounds chasin' wins 21 and 22.
 
Last time out between the Pride and Greyhounds, the Pride came up to Greyhound Park and left with a 4-2-win on their bus, handing UIndy their seventh loss in their first nine games. The Hounds and Pride have gone in separate directions, however, since that meeting. UIndy has since gone on a massive 18-4 streak, while PNW has gone 6-11 since the meeting.