Trailblazer baseball starts week out with home win over Joliet

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball season is getting into full swing at Jerry Blemker Field as the Trailblazers hosted Morton College and Joliet Junior College Sunday, Feb. 27 and Monday Feb. 28.

Vincennes came away with a 1-2 record over the three-game set, after dropping the first two 10-5 and 10-3 to Morton and Joliet on Sunday, before coming back Monday to win 7-2 over Joliet.

The three-game home weekend started with the Trailblazers hosting Morton College from Cicero, Ill.

The Panthers got on the board first, scoring a pair of runs in the second.

Vincennes would respond to even the score at 2-2 with a pair with an RBI singly by VU sophomore Peyton Lane (New Paris, Ohio).

Morton completely took the momentum of the game in the fourth, scoring four runs in the inning to take a 6-2 lead.

Vincennes would answer with a pair of runs in the fifth, but were unable to get the lead with Morton scoring a run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to come away with the 10-5 win.

Freshman Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) took the mound to start game one Sunday, throwing 3.1 innings, giving up five runs on five hits and punching out four.

Sophomore Kestler Harbuck (Brooksville, Fla.) came in in relief to throw 3.1 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and striking out four as well.

Freshman Nick Kapostasy (Cincinnati, Ohio) got the final out of the seventh while surrendering one run on three hits.

Game two of the day began more as a pitcher's duel, with Joliet scoring the only run in the first four inning and adding three more in the fifth.

The Wolves would continue to grow their lead by adding two runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to take a 10-0 lead.

Vincennes would get on the board in the seventh after a lead-off walk, single and hit by pitch loaded the bases for sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.).

Coy would hit an RBI single and the Trailblazers would score two more in the inning on wild pitches but were unable to completely erase the massive deficit as VU fell by the score of 10-3 to Joliet.

Sophomore Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) took the mound in game two, throwing four innings, giving up four runs on six hits and ending with six strikeouts.

Sophomore Braedon Nichols (Sullivan, Ind.) pitched 2.1 innings in relief, giving up six runs on three hits and striking out five.

Freshman Konner Thyen (Huntingburg, Ind.) pitched in the seventh and recorded his two outs with a pair of strikeouts.

Vincennes looked to end the series on a high-note, coming back Monday afternoon for a single, nine inning game against Joliet.

After each team scored in the first, Vincennes took the lead in the second after a lead-off single by freshman Nick Williams (Alexandria, Ind.).

The Trailblazers would gain a firm control of the game in the fourth as VU plated five runs in the inning, that included a two RBI single by freshman Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) and an RBI double by sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.).

Peyton Lane also drove in a run in the inning on a single to give the Blazers a 7-1 lead.

Joliet would manage to score a run in the top of the seventh, but the Trailblazers were able to hang on and pick up the 7-2 win over the Wolves.

Freshman Jake Stuteville (Rockport, Ind.) got the start Monday afternoon and threw 5.2 innings, giving up one run on six hits and punching out three batters.

Sophomore Luke Osborn (Perrysville, Ind.) pitched in relief to pick up the 3.1-inning save. Osborn allowed one run on no hits and struck out two.

Vincennes will look to carry some of this momentum into a very tough weekend at Jerry Blemker Field as VU hosts NJCAA D-I No. 7-ranked Wabash Valley College and D-II No. 6-ranked Kellogg Community College Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5.

The Trailblazers will face Wabash Valley Friday at 12 p.m. eastern and Kellogg at 6 p.m. eastern. With VU scheduled to take on Kellogg at 11 a.m. eastern. Saturday and Wabash Valley at 5 p.m. eastern.

VINCENNES BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Morton – 020   401   3 – 10

VU (4-4) – 002   020   1 – 5

HITTING STATS

3B – Long. RBI – Burdette, Long 2, Lane. Sac Fly – Long. SB – Burdette, Lane, Sizemore.

GAME TWO

Joliet – 001   032   4 – 10

VU (4-5) – 000   000   3 – 3

HITTING STATS

RBI – Evans, Coy.

GAME THREE

Joliet – 100   000   100 – 2

VU (5-5) – 110   500   00x – 7

HITTING STATS

2B – Long 2, 3B – Evans. RBI – Burdette 2, Long, Lane. SB – Burdette, Pelzer.