CARY, N.C. – The No. 7-seeded University of Indianapolis team opened the 2024 NCAA DII Championship with a 9-3 loss to No. 2-seed Tampa. The Greyhounds were outmatched offensively by the No. 1-ranked Spartans, as the higher seed put up runs in all but two innings. On the Hounds' side, a two-run fourth and a run in sixth were all the Greyhounds could muster against MLB draft-prospect Alex Canney.
 
Diego Cardenas toed the slab for the Hounds in their debut game at the DII "World Series", held annually at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. Despite getting hit with his third loss of the season, Cardenas limited the damage the best he could against the high-powered Spartans, going 5 2/3 innnings with seven strikeouts and five earned runs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Flipping the script on the Hounds from the Super Regional, where they were the first to score in both contests, the Spartans snagged that honor in Cary. After runs in the first in the third, UIndy finally answered in the fourth as Dakota Sill ripped a ball through the left side, giving Zack Williams a chance to score.
 

Sill swingin' in Cary!

Hounds bring it within 1??@dsill24 ?? | #LevelUo ?? pic.twitter.com/c3iEiS96Km

— UIndy Baseball (@UIndyBaseball) June 2, 2024

 
Sill later successfully stole second, allowing Cole Hampton to scurry home for the second Greyhound run of the fourth.
 
The Spartans later responded with their own run in the fourth to make it 4-2. From there it was all Tampa as they piled on runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth, including a pair of two-run bombs.
 
HOUND BYTES
Assistant Coach Adam Cornwell on the result…
"What beat us that they're a good ballclub and we made a couple mistake pitches and those pitches got hit out."
 
Cornwell on dealing with the tough offense of Tampa…
"I felt like we did a pretty good job, for the most part, attacking them. We only gave up a couple of ones, a couple of two, a lot of ones and twos, but for the most part I think we handled it [facing the high-powered offense of Tampa] well."
 
Cornwell on bouncing back…
"We've been here to Cary, but last year we did it five in a row and got us to Cary. We never really had our backs against the wall, we did it throughout the regular season, but not the postseason. We started the regional this year getting our butts kicked 16-4 and then we rallied off four in a row to win the regional… we've played good teams with our backs against the wall, and we can do it again, we're the 'Cardiac Hounds' for a reason."
 
UP NEXT
The Hounds will face Catawba at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4  at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.