Baseball to host special event for Riley Children’s Hospital on April 9
The No. 25 University of Indianapolis baseball team (16-6, 7-5 GLVC) is hosting a special day of games on April 9 to support Riley Hospital for Children at Greyhound Park.
Junior outfielder Matt Maringer slides safe into the base in a home game against Kentucky State University on March 29. The Greyhounds won both games. Photo by Ryan Thorpe.
The event, named “Hit One for Riley,” will feature a free cookout, games and prizes for all families who attend the game. The Greyhounds also will face GLVC foe University of Wisconsin-Parkside (6-13, 5-5 GLVC) at noon. Everyone who comes for the cookout and games is encouraged to stay and cheer on the baseball team as it plays its inter-conference opponent.
“There are things that are bigger and more important than baseball,” said senior first baseman Aryn Ross. “The work that Riley Hospital does is extraordinary. It’s not about how many baseball games you win; it’s about how many lives you can change. The cookout is a way for us to help.”
Sophomore second baseman Scott Lawley agrees that the day is special.
“The event for Riley makes me grateful for being able to play when I know some kids won’t ever be able to play baseball,” Lawley said. “It makes this event really worthwhile, and it makes me want to play that much harder for them.”
After two blow-out wins against Kentucky State University on March 29, the Greyhounds enter this weekend after coming off a 1-3 performance against Lewis University (13-8, 6-4 GLVC).
On April 3, the team split with the Flyers, losing the first game 6-7 but winning the second 7-5. Just one day earlier, Lewis swept the Greyhounds 2-3 and 1-2.
Before the Riley event on April 9, UIndy plays St. Joseph’s College, a GLVC opponent, on April 6.
“The St. Joe game is very important because they are one of our biggest rivals in conference play,” Lawley said. “The games are always intense and tight.”
Lawley explained how the rest of the season is very important to the team.
“Our biggest challenge will be our strength of schedule,” he said. “Every game from here on out are important and will be tough wins.”
Ross also noted the importance of the rest of the season.
“We have had success in the early part of the year, however we haven’t really been challenged as a ball club,” he said. “We just started our stretch of conference games. If we can win each series, we have a great chance at making the postseason.”
The Greyhounds will play 15 games until the GLVC postseason to be held May 12-15. According to Ross, the Lewis games were a tough lesson.
“We realized that although we have a good record, we can still easily be beaten, and that means we still need to go out and get our work in every day in practice,” he said.
