Trailblazers drop slugfest doubleheader at Spoon River

CANTON, Ill. – The Vincennes University baseball team closed out their weekend Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series at Spoon River College Sunday afternoon.

The VU offense produced plenty of runs, but unfortunately came out on the wrong end of an 11-9 final in game one and an 18-8 final in game two.

The day got off to a rough start for the Blue and Gold as Spoon River opened the scoring in the first inning with four runs.

Vincennes would answer back and get a couple of runs back in the second on an RBI single by sophomore Dylan Ecken (Louisville, Ky.) and a bases loaded walk by sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.) to cut the deficit in half at 4-2.

Spoon River would get a run in the bottom of the second, which VU countered again with an RBI single by sophomore Bryan Kohlmeyer (Paris, Ill.) and a two-RBI double by freshman Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) to even the score at 5-5.

Vincennes would take the lead in the fourth on a big two-run home run by sophomore Blake Heyerly (Monroe, Ind.), his third of the season.

Spoon River responded back in their half of the fourth inning with a big six-run inning to swing the game back to their dugout with an 11-7 advantage.

The Trailblazers would continue to battle, as freshman Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) ripped a two-RBI double in the sixth to put the Blazers within two but were unable to get any closer as Spoon River closed out game one of the day by the final score of 11-9.

Freshman Alex Wandersee (Centerville, Ind.) got the start in game one for the Blazers, throwing three and one-third innings, allowing nine runs on nine hits and striking out a career-high six.

Freshman JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) allowed two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning, before turning it over to sophomore Max Lines (Indianapolis, Ind.).

Lines pitched two and one-third shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.

VU looked to close out the weekend strong and come away with a series split in the finale and early on looked to be off to a great start out of the gates.

Vincennes opened the game with a single by sophomore Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.), who later scored on an RBI single by freshman Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.).

Douglas would also come around to score on a sacrifice fly by Corbin Napier, giving the Trailblazers an early 2-0 lead.

Spoon River's offense again came back in a big way in the bottom of the first, taking the lead with a big five run inning.

VU would get a run back on an RBI double by Whitehead, his second hit in as many innings to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Spoon River broke the game open with four more runs in the second to take a 9-3 lead before VU would again get a run back in the third on an RBI single by sophomore Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

The two offenses traded blows back-and-forth all game, with the Snappers countering in the bottom of the third with three runs to take a 12-4 lead.

VU plated another run in the fourth on an RBI double by Bradyn Douglas, his second RBI of the game and third hit of the game.

Spoon River firmly grabbed control of the game in the bottom of the fourth with a big six-run inning to take an 18-5 lead into the fifth.

Looking to extend the game, the Blazers offense continued to fight, with Corbin Napier leading off the fifth with a double and scoring on a two-RBI double by Bryce Gross.

Vincennes would get another run on a sacrifice fly by Jack Robinson but were unable to get a fourth run across to extend the game as Spoon River closed out the series with a big 18-8 victory in game two.

Sophomore Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) got the start in game two for Vincennes, throwing one and two-thirds innings, allowing nine runs on six hits and striking out one.

Sophomore Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) was the first out of the pen for VU, throwing an inning and one-third, allowing six runs on six hits and striking out two.

Freshman Colten Okes pitched one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits and striking out one, before sophomore Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) pitched the final two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

The Trailblazers will look to bounce back as they begin next week on the road again as VU prepares to head to Robinson, Ill. to take on Lincoln Trail College Thursday, April 25 at 4 p.m. eastern.

Vincennes will then return home to Jerry Blemker Field over the weekend for an MWAC Conference series showdown with John Wood Community College Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28. First pitch time for both days is scheduled for 12 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

VU (13-32, 5-18) – 023   202   0 – 9

Spoon River – 410   600   x – 11

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Gross, Napier, Ecken. HR – Heyerly. RBI – Heyerly 2, Napier 2, Gross 2, Kohlmeyer, Ecken, Robinson. HBP – Gross, Napier, Parnin. SB – Hinton. Sac Bunt – Schlotterbeck.

GAME TWO

VU (13-33, 5-19) – 211   13 – 8

Spoon River – 543   6x – 18

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Douglas, Gross, Napier, Whitehead. RBI – Douglas 2, Gross 2, Whitehead, Robinson, Napier, Newman. HBP – Whitehead, Parnin. Sac Fly – Napier, Robinson. SB – Heyerly, Whitehead. Sac Bunt – Robinson.