UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The University
of Indianapolis evened the NCAA Division II Midwest Super Regional
series with Saginaw Valley State University at one game each after
posting a 5-2 victory in game two on Saturday (May 16).
The Greyhounds tallied 12 hits in the game, exploding for four
runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead. UIndy
shortstop Carmen Martinez (Rio Linda, Calif.) started the inning by
reaching on an error. After a single by Chrissy Stevens (Anderson,
Ind.) and a sacrifice bunt by Lindsey Gustine (Circleville, Ohio)
advanced the base runners to second and third, Maggie Swanson
(South Bend, Ind./Kankakee CC) recorded a two-out single off the
glove of SVSU starting pitcher Kari Bowlby (Elkhart, Ind/Central),
scoring two runs. Greyhound pitcher Megan Russell (Indianapolis,
Ind./Franklin Central) then doubled down the right field line that
plated Swanson. Starting catcher Ashley Boxley (Camarillo,
Calif./Newbury Park) followed with a double off the top of the left
field fence, scoring Russell and making the score 4-0.
UIndy would post its fifth run of the game in the bottom of the
sixth on a pair of singles by Gustine and Jamie Keltz (Avon, Ind.)
and an RBI double by Russell.
However, the Cardinals would not go down quietly, tallying a pair
of runs in the top of the seventh. Sophomore outfielder Ashley
Jordan (Freeland, Mich.) spurred the SVSU offense with a one-out
double, followed by junior first baseman Sarah Sheffer's
(Watervliet, Mich./Kalamazoo Valley C.C.) RBI double down the
right-field line. Sophomore pinch hitter Jillian Peterson
(Freeland, Mich.) would then post a single, scoring pinch-runner
Billi Hoeppner (Hemlock, Mich.). UIndy's Meagan Gutierrez
(Portage, Ind.) got the game's final two outs to post the
save and force the deciding third game.
UIndy's Russell improved her record to 18-10 this season,
helping the Greyhounds up their season mark to 35-19. Russell
surrendered two earned runs on seven hits while striking out 5 in
six and a third innings of work. SVSU's Bolwby falls to 12-2
this season after allowing four unearned runs on six hits while
fanning two batters. The Cardinals are now 39-10 in 2009.
The two teams will play for the Midwest Super Region championship
and the right to advance to the Division II world series in a
winner-take-all game that will start at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday (May
16).
