Trailblazer baseball drops home game to Lake Land College

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team hosted Lake Land College at Jerry Blemker Field Wednesday afternoon and fell by the final score of 12-3.

Vincennes got the scoring started in the second, when Macaine Claycomb hit a triple and was brought in by a Devon Rodgers single.

Pitching looked to dominate early, with the Trailblazers still holding a 1-0 lead after four innings.

Lake Land's offense got their first run in the fifth, when the Lakers pushed six runs across to take a 6-1 lead.

The Lakers would add another run in the sixth before Vincennes answered with a run of their own when Peyton Lane scored on a single from Isaac Lane.

Lake Land responded back with two more runs in the seventh.

Brody Ruggles led off the eighth inning with a walk and was later brought in by a single from Nolan Clark to cut the lead to 9-3.

The Lakers added three insurance runs in the ninth and the margin was too much for Vincennes to overcome as VU fell at home 12-3.

"It just didn't happen for us on the bump today," VU baseball coach Chris Barney said. "We gave up a big six-spot in the fifth, some guys didn't throw strikes and they capitalized on some opportunities that our pitchers gave them. It's just one of those things, we have to come ready to play and we have to be ready to throw strikes."

"We ran some guys out of the bullpen, trying to get them ready for this weekend and get them back on the dirt because some guys hadn't thrown in over two weeks," Barney added. "We needed to get them in, to give them an opportunity to get ready incase we need them against Danville."

Connor VanLannen got the start for VU on the mound. The freshman hurler threw three shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out three.

"Connor did outstanding, he was the shining bright spot of the day. He did really well, came in had command, threw strikes, jumped ahead of guys and forced them to put the ball in play and our defense worked really well behind him."

The Trailblazers used this game as a chance to get some game action for their bullpen opting to use nine different pitchers Wednesday.

Cody Swimm, Blade Pittman, Luke Osborn, Gage Manuel, Parker Watts, Tyler Rice, Mitchell Behrle and Bailey Elliott all saw time on the mound for the Blazers.

VU will take to the field again this weekend when the Trailblazers take on MWAC opponent Danville Area in a four-game series.

The series will start Saturday, March 27 at Danville, then VU will host the final two games at Jerry Blemker Field Sunday, March 28. First pitch both days is set for 2 p.m. eastern.

"We've just got to come ready to play. We're going to be alright swinging the bats, we've got to do a good job on the mound and get our pitching staff ready to go to help us out, especially in the nine-inning games. We have to make sure we're bringing energy and I feel good about where our club is at, we're obviously not satisfied with what happened today, but our focus is definitely on the weekend with Danville. They're 4-0, sitting at the top of the league and we've got to figure out a way to get two, three or four wins this weekend."

Lake Land  0 0 0   0 6 1   2 0 3 – 12 15 2

VU (12-7)  0 1 0   0 0 1   0 1 0 – 3 8 0

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Peyton Lane. 3B – Macaine Claycomb. RBI – Devon Rodgers, Isaac Lane, Nolan Clark. Runs – Brody Ruggles, Peyton Lane, Macaine Claycomb.BB – Brody Ruggles, Macaine Claycomb.