The Online Reflector

The No. 2 University of Indianapolis softball team advanced their conference record to 18-0 as the team swept Kentucky Wesleyan College 4-0, 9-2 on April 1.

Freshmen infielders Taylor Russell and Sydney Russell scored the first two runs of game one. The Greyhounds then added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to take the victory.

In the second game, UIndy scored a pair of runs in the second, third and sixth innings. The seventh inning featured three more runs to give the Greyhounds a 9-2 victory.

The Greyhounds defeated the University of Southern Indiana on March 31.

In the first game, UIndy went on top by two runs in the second inning. UIndy allowed just two opponent runs in the bottom of the sixth and finished on top 3-2.

Junior infielder Kelsey Rummel opened up game two with a double to left field as the Greyhounds jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning.

In the second inning, UIndy scored four more runs and another run in the fourth. The Greyhounds finished the game on top 12-2.

The Greyhounds continued its winning streak after winning a doubleheader against Ohio Dominican University on March 29.

Williamson, who leads the national batting average, went 2-for-2 in the first game as the Greyhounds defeated the Panthers 3-1.

UIndy almost shut out the Panthers in the second game by allowing only one run and scoring eight of its own.

The Greyhounds defeated Northern Kentucky University 2-1, 9-2 in a doubleheader on March 25. The day before, UIndy defeated Lewis University 8-0, 8-4.

Williamson has overcome injuries to help lead the Greyhounds this season.

Williamson said she is happy that her injury did not hold her back from performing at the level she knew she could.

“It was all such a new experience [getting injured], ” Williamson said. “You come in hoping that you’re going to do well. I think I was well-prepared with all the practices and all the rehab and everything.”

Head Coach Melissa Frost-Fisher believes that Williamson brings positive characteristics to the team that have helped them be successful this season.

“I think she establishes a presence. That’s the biggest thing,” Frost-Fisher said.  “She brings excitement to the game, and she brings the excitement to our team. And I think that as a whole speaks for itself. I think her presence as a whole, whether it’s in the outfield or at the plate, really sets a tone for the rest of our team.”

The team defeated both the University of Wisconsin-Parkside 5-0, 10-1 on March 18 and Lewis University 8-0, 8-4 on March 17. Prior to that, the Greyhounds went 6-0 in Kissimmee, Fla., over Spring Break.

Williamson attributes these successes to Frost-Fisher’s coaching style and the work ethic of the team.

“I think Coach [Frost-Fisher] does a really good job on making sure we get the fundamentals down,” Williamson said. “The softball team is one of hardest-working teams that we have on campus. That’s what other people tell us as well. We just try to stick to that and hold up to our standards, making sure that we’re still the hardest working team day in and day out.”

As the team looks forward, Frost-Fisher wants the team to remember that every game is 0-0.

“After every game, we talk about what we did well, and we talk about what really needs work,” Frost-Fisher said. “And I think we tailor every week, each day specifically to where are team is at. That’s the biggest thing we’ve focused on. We just want to fine tune the small stuff and fine tune the fundamentals. ”

One of the biggest obstacles that both Williamson and Frost-Fisher believe the team has to overcome this season is the unpredictability of different pitching styles. According to Frost-Fisher, this means adjusting every game to the level of pitching that the other team brings.

“We’ve seen a variety [of pitching styles], and I think our girls have done a good job of changing and adjusting to that,” Frost-Fisher said.

With all the accomplishments that the team has seen this season, Williamson and Frost-Fisher look forward to finishing the rest of the season strong and sticking to their goals.

“I think that we need to keep going into every game knowing that we can and will beat anybody that we play,” Williamson said. “It would be really exciting if we only lose one game the whole year, but that may not happen. It may happen, but I think this year we have the team that can really go far in the tournament, and possibly win conference and go to the national championship.”

Frost-Fisher wants the team to push forward and use the accomplishments as a motivation to finish strong.

“The team, I think, is off to a great start, but we have a lot of unfinished business,” Frost-Fisher said. “We play 56 games in a season right now we’ve played 23 (now 28). So we’re at the halfway mark, and I think it’s important to keep our eye on the goal. That [the goal] is to win the regular season, to win conference tournament and then make it through regionals, super-regionals and on to the World Series. ”

The Greyhounds’ next doubleheader will be at home Easter weekend starting with Kentucky Wesleyan University on April 6 and the University of Southern Indiana on April 7.