Baseball wins three games
The University of Indianapolis baseball team traveled to Bellarmine University this past weekend to take on the Knights in a pair of doubleheaders on April 20-21.
In game one on April 21, the Greyhounds won by a score of 6-2.
In the second game, the Greyhounds shutout the Knights, scoring 10 runs in eight innings.
The Greyhounds got out to a fast start early, putting up four runs at the top of the first two innings. The Greyhounds scored two more runs in the fourth inning, and in the last two innings of the game, UIndy posted another four runs.
Freshman pitcher Matthew Kaplanis took the win for the Greyhounds in game two, allowing five hits and zero runs and striking out three players.
In their first game on April 20, the Greyhounds gave up 12 runs to the home team and only scored two runs of their own in the top of the second and sixth innings.
Senior pitcher Hugo Lalonde took the loss for the Greyhounds, allowing nine hits and 10 runs and striking out one player.
In their second game of that day, the Hounds rebounded from the first game with an 8-1 victory.
The Greyhounds took an early 1-0 advantage in the first and still led at the end of the second, 3-1. UIndy would not allow another run by the Knights and added on to their lead with a run in the top of the fourth and two runs in the fifth and seventh each.
Taking the win for the Hounds was sophomore pitcher Matt Pate, allowing five hits and one run and striking out four players.
UIndy also was scheduled to play the Saint Joseph’s College Pumas in a doubleheader on April 17, but that was postponed due to bad weather.
The Greyhounds went 2-2 the weekend before against the McKendree University Bearcats, losing two games on April 13 and winning two games on April 14.
The Greyhounds were able to get the best of the Bearcats in the first game on April 14. In the first inning, both teams scored one run. The next runs came from the Bearcats during the top of the third inning, when they put up three. UIndy answered with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, making the score 4-3. The Greyhounds then scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Greyhounds scored one more run in the fifth to win the game 6-4.
Junior pitcher Josh Witt took the win, allowing five hits, and four runs and throwing three strikeouts.
In the second game, UIndy shutout McKendree, with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two in the bottom of the seventh. The Greyhounds added another run in the eighth to extend their lead and win the game 5-0.
Freshman pitcher Matthew Kaplanis took the win, allowing nine hits and zero runs and striking out one player.
In their first game against the Bearcats on April 13, the Greyhounds scored first with senior first baseman Jake Hartley’s run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning. McKendree, however, responded with five runs in the fifth and two runs in the eighth, which gave them a commanding lead. The Greyhounds added another single run with junior shortstop Jake Weinzapfel crossing the plate in the eighth. Senior catcher Nick Whitty scored the last run of the game for the Greyhounds in the bottom of the ninth. However, McKendree won the game, 7-3.
UIndy senior pitcher Phil Wheeler took the loss, allowing five hits and five runs and striking out five batters.
The Greyhounds came closer to beating the Bearcats in game two but still came up short. During the game, McKendree scored first, with two runs in the top of the first. UIndy answered in the bottom of the first, with one run of its own. McKendree scored five more runs in the top of the fourth, to make the score 7-1.
Redshirt freshman outfielder Alex Ritchie prepares to swing at a pitch thrown by the opponent’s pitcher. Photo by Victoria Jenkins
The score would remain the same until UIndy scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. The four runs were scored by senior third baseman Tyler O’Daniel, junior first baseman Dan Eliopulos, junior catcher Caleb Hallman and Weinzapfel. The rally was not enough to catch up with the Bearcats though, and the Hounds lost 7-5.
Lalonde took the loss, allowing seven hits and seven runs and striking out one player.
According to Head Baseball Coach Gary Vaught, the Greyhounds have suffered several injuries this season and are just now getting everyone back onto the field.
“It’s been a rough year,” Vaught said. “It’s not where we’re used to being. We were picked to win it [the Great Lakes Valley Conference].”
Vaught said that the team has not only been having trouble keeping everyone healthy, but that it also has had trouble getting players home.
“We’ve left over 250 people on base. We need to work on getting people in,” Vaught said. “It’s not that we’re striking out, we’re just hitting right to people.”
O’Daniel agreed with Vaught but said that the team had similar problems last year.
“The season started out slow, but I think we’re starting to come around,” O’Daniel said. “To this point, we haven’t really clicked on the same day. When that happens, we’re going to be fine. It’s the same thing that has happened every year. We just need to reach that point in the season.”
The Greyhounds next will prepare for a home weekend series against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers in doubleheaders at noon, April 27-28, at Greyhound Park.
