OAKLAND CITY, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team got back in the win column Tuesday night when the Blazers traveled to Oakland City University to take on the Mighty Oaks JV squad.
The Trailblazers picked up some big hitting, including solo home runs by sophomores Brandon Juarez (Evansville, Ind.) and Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.) as the Blazers came away with the 7-2 victory.
Vincennes broke open the scoring in a big way in the second inning, with Brandon Juarez leading off the inning with a solo home run, the first of his VU career, to put the Blazers on top 1-0.
Oakland City then answered in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs to take the lead before Jack Robinson evened the score in the third with a solo home run of his own, also his first VU home run.
VU would get the lead back in the fifth after a leadoff walk by sophomore Keegan Schlotterbeck (Centerville, Ind.), a sacrifice bunt by Robinson and sophomore Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) being hit by a pitch.
Schlotterbeck and Parnin executed a double steal with Schlotterbeck scoring on a throwing error to put VU ahead 3-2.
Parnin would later come around to score on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to increase VU's lead to 4-2.
The Trailblazers weren't done there however, freshman Bradyn Doulgas (Frankton, Ind.) pinch hit to lead off the sixth inning and drew a walk.
Sophomore Bryton Griffy (Louisville, Ill.) reached on a single and after stealing second was driven in on a two-RBI single by Jack Robinson, giving him three RBIs on the night.
Robinson later scored on an RBI single by Jace Parnin, his second hit of the game and third time reaching base safely, to put the Blazers ahead 7-2.
The VU pitching staff held serve as the Blazers cruised through the later innings to pick up the 7-2 victory over Oakland City JV.
Vincennes Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney sent eight different pitchers to the mound Tuesday night, led off by freshman starter Carson Allen (Louisville, Ky.) who lasted an inning and two-thirds, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out one.
Freshman Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) was the first out of the pen, retiring all four batters he faced, including striking out the final two batters of the third inning.
Edlin turned the game over to sophomore Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) who struck out the side in the fourth inning and picked up the winning decision Tuesday night.
Freshmen Colten Okes (Evansville, Ind.), JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.), sophomore Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.), freshman Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) and sophomore Jace Parnin combined to close out the final five innings of work, each throwing one inning a piece.
These five VU pitchers only allowed three Oakland City baserunners in the final five innings, with Gross striking out the side in the eighth and Okes, Pinson and Parnin each recording two strikeouts in their innings on the mound.
Vincennes will look to keep this positive momentum going into the weekend when the Blazers host another tough weekend slate of games at Jerry Blemker Field.
VU will begin the weekend slate Friday, March 1 against No. 12-ranked Kellogg Community College from Battle Creek, Mich. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m. eastern.
The Trailblazers will then return to the field Saturday, March 2 for a doubleheader with Lincoln Trail College at 3:30 p.m. eastern and Glen Oaks Community College from Centreville, Mich. at 6 p.m. eastern.
The weekend slate will conclude on Sunday, March 3 when VU squares off with No. 12 Kellogg C.C. in a single seven-inning game at 11 a.m. eastern.
Scheduled dates and times for all VU baseball games are subject to change. Be sure to follow 'Vincennes University Athletics' on Facebook, X, or Instagram to stay up to date on any and all VU baseball schedule changes.
BOX SCORE
VU (3-8) – 011 023 000 – 7
Oakland City JV – 020 000 000 – 2
VU HITTING
2B – Douglas, Juarez, Ecken. HR – Juarez, Robinson. RBI – Robinson 3, Parnin, Hinton, Juarez. Sac Bunt – Robinson. Sac Fly – Hinton. SB – Douglas, Griffy, Parnin, Whitehead, Schlotterbeck. HBP – Heyerly, Parnin.