ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 2 UIndy Greyhounds softball team opened the 2024 NCAA Division II Championship with a statement win Sunday, downing Atlantic Region-champ Charleston, 9-0. The Greyhounds jumped out to a hefty lead in the first inning while pitching ace
Kenzee Smith was nearly unhittable.
The Greyhounds move to the winner's bracket game versus Southeast Region champ Lenoir-Rhyne tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.
INS & OUT
Despite the heat index pushing 95, the Hounds turned up the heat on the Golden Eagles early. A leadoff walk from
Jocelyn Calvin in the bottom of the first sparked the rally, while two-run doubles from
Emily O'Connor and
Shelby Cook fanned the flames.
By the time the dust settled, UIndy had hung seven runs on the board in the very first frame, sending 12 batters to the plate while chasing both of Charleston's top two pitchers in the process.
UIndy tacked up two more runs in the fourth coming on back-to-back doubles from
Braxton Downs and Cook.
In the circle,
Kenzee Smith continued her amazing postseason run. She allowed just two hits and struck out five on the way to her DII-leading 23rd shutout of the year. She has tossed 45 of UIndy's 46 innings in the NCAA Tournament and has yet to surrender an earned run.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Eight Greyhounds scored at least one run, with two coming from
Lexy Rees.
- Rees and Calvin each walked twice, both more than the entire UC lineup.
- UIndy upped its program-record win total to 59.
MORE NOTES
The Hounds are their third World Series appearance overall and first in nine years … UIndy is now 4-0 all-time versus Charleston. Today was their first meeting since 2013.
