SMYRNA, Tenn. – The No. 3-ranked UIndy softball team earned a split on the final day of the Music City Invitational Saturday. The Greyhounds took down in-region Ohio Dominican, 12-4, before falling to No. 17 Trevecca Nazarene in extra innings, 8-7, in a rematch of last year's
Midwest Super Regional.
GAME 1 | UIndy 12, ODU 4 (6 inn)
The Greyhounds broke it open early, hanging four runs on the board in the top of the first and two more in the second. UIndy racked up eight hits and a walk in the first two frames, included an RBI triple from
Ella Palm and back-to-back doubles from
Sydney Oliver and
Shelby Cook.
The biggest blow came in the fourth inning, however, as freshman
Brooklyn Willis earned her first career homer with a three-run shot to left-center.
The Hounds tacked on two more tallies in the fifth when Oliver and Cook once again managed consecutive two-baggers. The final run came in the sixth with
Cara Cooper scoring on a wild pitch.
Freshman hurler
Cheyenne Eads made her first collegiate start, lasting 3 1/3 innings–not quite enough to qualify for the win.
Jayden Casebolt (1-1) worked the final 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, including working out of a base-loaded jam in the fourth to eventually secure the victory.
Each of UIndy's first four batters had a multi-hit game, including leadoff hitter
Sydney Oliver. The freshman out of nearby New Palestine, Ind., went 3-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored. Fellow-freshman
Maya Rodriguez also had three knocks.
GAME 2 | TNU 8, UIndy 7 (10 inn.)
The Greyhounds once again worked an early lead, building a 5-0 lead after three-and-a-half frames. But the Trojans bounced back with productive rallies in the fourth and fifth to knot it up.
There the score would stay heading into extras, where the Greyhounds took the lead in both the ninth and 10th innings. But each time the Trojans answered before walking it off with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th.
Willis continued to swing a hot bat in game two, earning three hits as well as an RBI in the ninth inning. Cook managed not one but two triples, including one in the top of the 10th to plate
Tori Angles. Rodriguez amassed three more hits to finish the day 6-for-9 at the plate.
The Hounds had two freshmen make their debut in the circle. Starter
Hailey Thompson surrendered just one hit in her 3 1/3 innings of work but she struggled to find the zone in the fourth.
Rookie
Isabelle Noble finished the fourth with a pair of Ks, while Eads took over in the fifth and pitched the rest of the way. She allowed just two hits and a single run in 5 2/3 innings but was the tough-luck loser.
UP NEXT
UIndy will take next weekend off from competition before heading to West Virginia to take on Wheeling and West Liberty on Feb. 13-14.
