Trailblazer baseball begins conference season with big doubleheader sweep

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team began their Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) season Monday afternoon at Jerry Blemker Field and it could not have started better for VU, winning game one over Danville Area 12-2 and taking game two 7-4.

The Blazers took control of the day early in game one on their home field, scoring three runs in the first inning on three straight RBI singles started by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.) and followed by freshman Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.) and sophomore Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.).

VU would add to their lead in the second after a leadoff walk by sophomore Mahkai Pelzer (Douglasville, Ga.). Pelzer would come around to score on an RBI single by sophomore Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.).

Vincennes continued to pile on and extend their lead in the third with five straight singles by Whitehead, Bartlett, sophomores Colin Long, a two-RBI single by sophomore Dale Coy and a single by Pelzer.

This string of hits was followed by a two-RBI double by freshman Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to give the Blazers an 8-0 lead.

The Jaguars would get on the board with a pair of runs in the fourth but VU would answer back with a two-RBI double by Colin Long and an RBI single by Dale Coy, giving Coy three RBIs on the game.

After a scoreless fifth inning by Danville, VU looked to extend their lead to double-digits and enforce the MWAC 10-run rule in the fifth.

VU got a leadoff single by Hinton, followed by a single by Burdette and walked it off with an RBI double by sophomore Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) to give the Blazers the 12-2 win in game one.

Freshman Gavin Craggs (Taylorville, Ill.) got the start on the mound in game one and threw four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out five.

Freshman Aaron Fenn (Fort Wayne, Ind.) entered to pitch the fifth and allowed one hit and struck out one.

The Blazers looked to continue this momentum into the second game of this conference doubleheader and got off to another great start, beginning the home half of the first with four straight hits, including RBI doubles by Kaden Elliott and Colton Evans and an RBI single by Carter Whitehead.

VU would add a run in the second after Ethan Burdette walked and came around to score his second run of the day on an RBI single by Colton Evans to give the Blazers an early 4-0 lead.

Danville Area would rally back in the fourth to even the game at 4-4 before VU broke the tie with a big solo home run by sophomore Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.).

Vincennes would then tack on a pair of insurance runs on a two-run home run blast by Colton Evans, his fourth of the season, to give the Blazers a 7-4 lead.

Sophomore closer Xavier Hart (Jeffersonville, Ind.) entered to close the door in the seventh as VU picked up their sixth straight victory by the final score of 7-4.

Freshman Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) got the start in game two, throwing five-plus innings, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out three.

Freshman Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) threw the rest of the sixth inning without allowing a run or a hit before turning the game over to Xavier Hart who allowed one hit and struck out the final batter of the game.

The MWAC Conference series now shifts to Danville, Ill. for games three and four tomorrow, Tuesday, March 21 at Danville Area Community College. First pitch for game three tomorrow has been moved up to 1 p.m. eastern due to a threat of rain Tuesday night.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Danville Area – 000   20 – 2

VU (11-11, 1-0) – 314   31 – 12

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Hinton, Elliott, Long. RBI – Coy 3, Long 2, Hinton 2, Burdette, Elliott, Evans, Whitehead, Bartlett. SB – Whitehead.

GAME TWO

Danville Area – 000   400   0 – 4

VU (12-11, 2-0) – 310   012   x – 7

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Elliott, Evans. HR – Egger, Evans. RBI – Evans 4, Elliott, Whitehead, Egger. SB – Egger, Coy. HBP – Egger, Hinton, Evans.