Men’s baseball recovering from 2-6 start
The University of Indianapolis won their third game at Lewis and, as of Reflector press time the score was unavailable, UIndy dropped a pair of 2-1 contests versus the Flyers Saturday, April 17.
UIndy played a doubleheader with archrival St. Joseph’s College on April 11, falling behind 3-0 in the first game, through four innings. Junior infielder Kaleb Cunningham helped bring the score to 3-2 with a double down the left field line in the fifth inning. The Pumas added two more runs in the top of the sixth, ending the scoring with the game ending 5-2 in SJC’s favor.
UIndy got out of the gate faster in game two, building a 4-0 lead in just one inning. One important move in the game was the three-person run by senior first baseman Danny Collier, one of his five RBIs in game two. Senior catcher Chase Kittinger collected two RBIs and scored two runs. Senior second baseman and shortstop Adam Akin and junior second baseman Aryn Ross had three hits each.
“The game that means the most right now is the fourth game we played against St. Joseph’s College on Sunday [April 11],” Akin said. “Being down 2-1 in the series and being able to pull it all together to get that victory in our seventh game in six days shows a lot about our team and how bad we want this.”
An April 10, a Greyhound win against St. Joseph’s College in the first game in the doubleheader earned head coach Gary Vaught to his 700th coaching career win.
“You get to that place [700th win] with good players, assistants and administrators,” Vaught said. “I get total support here at UIndy.”
UIndy took down the Pumas 13-5 in the first game. The ‘Hounds scored eight runs in the first inning with four hits, three walks, a hits batsman and an error by the Pumas. The Pumas started catching up by getting four runs in the top of the sixth inning, but the ‘
Hounds kept in the game, scoring five more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Cunningham had three hits and three runs during the game.
Things went downhill in the second game when the ‘Hounds were defeated by the Pumas 12-3. UIndy’s starting pitcher, junior Donovan Drake, allowed seven runs in the opening frame after giving only one run in 19 innings previous to this game. UIndy ended the game with a solo home run by senior outfielder Chris Ulrey and a single by sophomore third baseman Matt Maringer.
On April 7, the baseball team headed to the home of the Indianapolis Indians, Victory Field, for a game. The game was canceled after eight and a half innings due to weather with the score tied at nine runs apiece. The game will be rescheduled, but the time is still unknown. Only Drake and Collier pitched at least one scoreless inning, even though the ‘Hounds used eight pitchers throughout the game.
Senior Ryan Burlas delivers a pitch during a March 18 game versus Kentucky State. UIndy swept that series, outscoring the Thorobreds 39-6. The Flyers have taken two of three from UIndy in their weekend series, with the last game ending after the paper went to press.
The Greyhounds took on Urbana University at Greyhound Park on April 6. In the first game, UIndy starter senior pitcher Cory White walked a batter, allowed two straight singles to begin the game. White persevered and struck out the side to end the top of the inning with no runs by Urbana. By the end of game, all nine UIndy hitters had scored a run, including four runs by Ulrey. The Blue Knights managed one run in the second inning, but the game ended in UIndy’s favor 16-1.
A second game against the Knights also came out successful with a UIndy win 12-11 in eight innings. The ‘Hounds came back in this game after trailing 11-6 in four and a half innings. UIndy scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, while junior pitcher Andy Betts threw one and one-third innings of hitless ball and senior pitcher David Early threw two scoreless innings.
UIndy fell 6-3 to Bellarmine University on April 3. After being tied at 1-1 through the fourth inning, Bellarmine put up five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore infielder Chris Saroff hit a two-run single in the seventh, ending the scoring. Cunningham and Akin had two hits each in the game.
Bellarmine dropped the second game 7-5. Bellarmine scored all seven runs in the first three innings.
UIndy got onto the board in the fifth after Kittinger hit a three-run home run set up after a double by Akin and a walk by sophomore catcher Scott Mourey. Freshman pitcher Sean Elliot set a personal best, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing three hits. With only a few games left in conference this season, anticipation for future games are very high.
Most players agreed that Northern Kentucky has become their biggest rival.
“I am really looking forward to our games with Northern Kentucky. I feel that they are our biggest rival; therefore, the competition level is very high,”
Early said.
Akin also anticpates the Norse series.
