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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Split Friday Home Slate Against Midwest Competition

Trailblazers Split Friday Home Slate Against Midwest Competition
Box Score Box Score
February 27, 2026

VINCENNES, Ind. — Vincennes University Baseball earned a strong afternoon victory before facing one of the nation's top programs in the nightcap Friday at Jerry Blemker Field, defeating North Iowa Area Community College 5–3 before falling to NJCAA Division II No. 9 Kellogg Community College 20–1. The Trailblazers move to 6-8 overall on the season.

Game One — Vincennes 5, North Iowa Area Community College 3

Behind timely execution and a dominant bullpen effort, Vincennes opened the day with a complete team performance against North Iowa, capitalizing on opportunities offensively while receiving strong work on the mound.

Head Coach Chris Barney, in his 18th season leading the Trailblazers, credited his pitching staff and situational execution for setting the tone early. "This was a really solid win for our group," Barney said. "Eastin Whaley gave us exactly what we needed on the mound — attacking hitters and keeping us in position to compete — and Drake Hoffa came in and completely shut the door. When you get that kind of effort from your pitching staff, it gives your offense confidence to stay patient and take advantage of opportunities."

Sophomore Eastin Whaley earned his second win of the season, working 4.0 innings while allowing three runs — two earned — on four hits with five strikeouts. The right-hander navigated traffic throughout his outing, limiting damage and preventing big innings. Freshman Drake Hoffa followed with one of the most dominant relief appearances of the season, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings while striking out eight to secure his second save of the year.

North Iowa struck first with a run in the opening inning before adding single runs in the third and fourth, but Vincennes responded decisively in the bottom of the third inning with four of their five game-winning runs.

Freshman Carson Reed led the offense with two hits and two RBIs, while freshman Matthew Everroad added two RBIs of his own as the Trailblazers plated four runs in the inning to take control.

"We did a really good job capitalizing on their mistakes," Barney added. "We stayed aggressive on the bases, put pressure on their defense, and came through with big at-bats when runners were in scoring position. That's the kind of situational baseball we want to play."

Sophomore Evan Doran scored twice, while freshmen Ethan Papalios, Ryan Crawford, and Tyler Singleton also crossed the plate as VU maximized limited offensive opportunities.

Game Two — NJCAA DII No. 9 Kellogg Community College 20, Vincennes 1

Facing nationally ranked NJCAA Division II No. 9 Kellogg Community College in the nightcap presented a much different challenge, as the Bruins' pitching and offensive depth proved difficult to contain.

"We faced the best pitcher we've seen all year," Barney said. "Credit to Kellogg — they executed at a really high level. Offensively we had a hard time making adjustments, and on the mound we simply didn't throw enough strikes to slow momentum."

Freshman Talan Meyers took the loss after allowing seven runs over 2.2 innings. Sophomore Grayson Reichert, freshman Parker Clarida, freshman Palmer Schiff, sophomore Cole Trevino, freshman Dillon Warnick, and freshman Brody Wenzler all saw action as the Trailblazers worked through multiple arms against the nationally ranked opponent.

Kellogg capitalized on 14 walks issued by Vincennes pitching and scored in four of five innings, including an eight-run third inning followed by five-run frames in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Freshman Matthew Everroad accounted for Vincennes' lone run, collecting a double and later scoring. Freshman Braden Casebier drove in the Trailblazers' only RBI with a run-scoring single as VU managed only two hits against the Bruins' pitching staff.

Despite the result, Barney emphasized the importance of responding quickly as the early-season schedule continues to challenge his team. "These are the types of games that expose areas we need to improve," Barney said. "We've shown we can compete when we execute, and now it's about being more consistent — throwing strikes, playing clean defense, and continuing to grow as we prepare for conference play."

Vincennes returns to Jerry Blemker Field on Saturday, February 28, for a doubleheader against Lincoln Trail College. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST, with game two set for approximately 5:30 p.m. EST.

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