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Vincennes University

Baseball Set for MWAC/Region 24 Tournament Play

Baseball Set for MWAC/Region 24 Tournament Play
May 6, 2026

VINCENNES, Ind. — After navigating one of the toughest schedules in the region and showing continued improvement throughout the spring, Vincennes University Baseball now turns its attention to postseason play as the Trailblazers prepare for the 2026 MWAC/Region 24 Tournament and the opportunity to defend their title from 2025. VU enters postseason play at 20-36 overall, while finishing 12-20 in Midwest Athletic Conference action. VU closed the regular season on May 1 with an exciting walk-off home victory over Frontier Community College on sophomore day.

Head Coach Chris Barney, in his 18th season leading the Trailblazers, said the journey to this point has tested the group but also prepared the team for tournament baseball.  "It has been a long journey with some ups and downs, but hopefully we are on the uptick moving forward," Barney said. "We've battled injuries to key players throughout the season, but over the last couple of weeks we've played some really solid baseball offensively, defensively, and on the mound. This team has strong talent — it's just about putting everything together for a three or four-game stretch."

The Trailblazers faced one of the most demanding schedules in the region throughout the spring, competing against nationally ranked NJCAA opponents including Parkland College, Heartland Community College, Wabash Valley College, Kellogg Community College, and Joliet Junior College. Barney believes that experience could prove valuable in postseason play. "When you play the level of competition we've faced and go through a full 56-game season, it gives guys opportunities to grow and develop," Barney said. "Our schedule has pushed us, and hopefully that experience helps us now."

Offensively, VU has been powered by one of the most productive freshman duos in the MWAC. Freshman Ethan Papalios enters tournament play batting .413 with 71 hits, 24 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, and a .495 on-base percentage. Freshman Matthew Everroad has matched that production, hitting .411 with 69 hits, 16 doubles, 12 home runs, and a team-best 58 RBIs while posting a .720 slugging percentage.

Freshman Carson Reed has added a .368 batting average with 42 hits and 23 RBIs, while freshman Tannar Patterson hit .366 with 12 doubles, three home runs, and a team-high .524 on-base percentage despite battling injuries late in the season. Freshman Dillon Warnick has emerged as another key offensive contributor, batting .389 in limited action, while sophomore Evan Doran added 38 hits and 28 RBIs. Freshman Lucas Frack contributed five home runs and 18 RBIs, and sophomore Jevan Andrews scored 27 runs while leading the team with 12 stolen bases.

Barney believes the offense remains the team's biggest strength entering postseason play. "The biggest strength of this team is its offense," Barney said. "But we're going to face really good pitching against Parkland and Danville, and our guys have to respond. The players who have produced all season need to continue doing it."

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Allen has anchored the rotation with a team-high five wins and 60 innings pitched, while freshman Kaagen Kendall has recorded 33 strikeouts across 31 innings. Freshman Talan Meyers contributed a team-best 45 strikeouts this season, and redshirt sophomore Alex Wandersee has provided valuable innings both as a starter and reliever.

The Trailblazers have also battled significant injuries on the mound, including season-ending injuries to sophomore Eastin Whaley and freshman Braeden Burton. Barney noted that pitching and defense will ultimately determine postseason success. "We need three or four quality starts if we're going to compete," Barney said. "Pitching is critical in tournament baseball because you only give teams 27 outs. You have to make the routine plays defensively and come through with two-out RBIs when opportunities are there."

Barney also pointed to the importance of unexpected contributors stepping into key moments. "You need your stars to be stars, but you also need unexpected guys to step up," Barney added. "You need somebody to make a big play or come through in a moment you weren't expecting. In tournament baseball, those things matter."

The Trailblazers earned the No. 7 seed in the tournament field and will travel to Champaign, Ill., for pool play hosted by No. 2 seed Parkland College alongside No. 5 seed Danville Area Community College. VU opens tournament play Friday, May 8, against Parkland College at 10 a.m. EST. The Trailblazers went 1-3 against Parkland during league play, highlighted by a 14-11 victory at Jerry Blemker Field on April 7. VU will then face Danville Area Community College later Friday at 1 p.m. EST. VU split the regular season series against Danville, dropping two games at home before responding with back-to-back road victories on March 29.

With a win in either Friday matchup, the Trailblazers would advance to Saturday's championship round at Parkland College, scheduled for 12 p.m. EST, with an if-necessary game set for 3 p.m. EST. All games in the Parkland College pod will be broadcasted live via their YouTube channel.

The remaining tournament pods include #1 Heartland Community College hosting #8 Lewis & Clark Community College and #9 Spoon River College, while #3 Illinois Central College will play host to #4 John Wood Community College and #6 Lincoln Land Community College.

The winner of each pod will advance to the Central District Tournament, which will be hosted by the highest remaining Region 24 seed. The district field will also include representatives from Region 16 in Missouri. The winner of the Central District Tournament will advance to the 2026 NJCAA Division II College World Series, scheduled for May 23-30 at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla.

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Baseball squad all year long through a number of ways: