GODFREY, Ill. – The wind was blowing out for most of Saturday afternoon as the Vincennes University baseball team opened Mid-West Athletic Conference play at Lewis & Clark Community College and the Trailblazer bats took full advantage, clubbing four home runs and scoring 25 runs over two games.
VU got the afternoon started with a big late comeback win in game one over L&C 17-9 before closing out the day by winning game two 8-5.
The Vincennes bats got off to a slow start Saturday, with Lewis & Clark jumping on the scoreboard first with a run in the second.
The Trailblazers would immediately respond in the third inning with a three-run home run by sophomore Brandon Juarez (Evansville, Ind.), his second home run of the year, putting the Blazers on top 3-1.
Lewis & Clark answered back in their half of the inning however, taking the lead back with four runs to lead 5-3.
Vincennes would chip away at this deficit in the fourth after a lead off double by sophomore Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.), who would come around to score on a fielding error put in play by sophomore Dylan Ecken (Louisville, Ky.).
VU would even the score in the 5th after another lead off double, this time by redshirt freshman Holden Clifton (Louisville, Ill), who would come around and score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 5-5.
Lewis & Clark again looked to take a commanding lead in the bottom of the 5th, scoring four runs in the inning and grabbing the lead back in a big way.
Vincennes would again chip away in the seventh with an RBI single by freshman Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) and a bases loaded walk by sophomore Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to cut the L&C lead to 9-7.
The Trailblazers would hold Lewis & Clark scoreless down the stretch before VU's bats came alive in a big way in the top of the ninth.
Looking to extend the game, VU came to bat in the top of the ninth down two runs and were able to get the first three batters on base to load the bases for sophomore Blake Heyerly (Monroe, Ind.) who came through with a big pinch hit grand slam, his first collegiate home run, to push the Blazers in front 11-9.
Vincennes wasn't done there though, sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.) plated another run with an RBI single, followed by a two-run home run by Holden Clifton, his first home run of the season and second of his VU career.
VU continued to add more as the Blazers sent 15 batters to the plate in the inning and capped off the massive inning with a two-RBI double by Jace Parnin and an RBI double by Blake Heyerly, giving him five RBIs in the ninth inning alone.
All totaled, the Trailblazers scored 10 runs in the ninth inning, the most runs scored by the Blazers in a single inning since March 17, 2018, vs. Lake Michigan College.
Sophomore pitcher Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) closed out the bottom half of the inning strong, closing out the victory by striking out the final two batters to seal the VU 17-9 victory over Lewis & Clark in game one of the day.
Freshman Kaleb Marrs (Terre Haute, Ind.) got the start in game one and threw four and two-thirds innings, allowing nine runs, three earned runs on five hits and striking out three.
Freshman Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) was the first out of the bullpen for VU Head Coach Chris Barney, throwing two and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball.
Christian Pinson came in to pitch the final inning and two-thirds, retiring all five batters he faced and striking out two while also coming away with the winning decision.
The Trailblazers looked to keep this momentum going into game two but once again had to play from behind as Lewis & Clark jumped out to the early lead with three runs in the first.
VU would answer in the top of the second with a two-RBI single by sophomore Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.) and a successful squeeze play sacrifice bunt by Jack Robinson.
Vincennes would grab the lead later in the inning after Whitehead scored on a fielding error by Lewis & Clark, giving VU the 4-3 lead.
The Trailblazers would add to this lead in the third with a two-run home run by Jace Parnin, his first home run of his VU career.
Vincennes would add another run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Jack Robinson, giving him RBIs in back-to-back innings as the Blazers lead increased to 7-3.
Lewis & Clark would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut the VU lead to two before the VU pitching staff would again hold L&C scoreless down the stretch.
VU added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI double by Trevor Newman to push the lead to 8-5 before Jace Parnin came took over on the mound in the bottom half to retire the final two batters and close out the Blazers 8-5 victory and complete the doubleheader sweep.
Sophomore Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) got the start in game two for VU, throwing four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and striking out five to pick up his second winning decision this season.
Sophomore Max Lines (Indianapolis, Ind.) held the Lewis & Clark batters at bay in two and one-third innings of work, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out two.
Sophomore Jace Parnin stepped in on the mound to retire the final two Lewis & Clark batters, pitching efficiently to only need five pitches to pick up his second save of the year.
The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going when VU hits the field tomorrow, Sunday, March 10 for the final two games of this Mid-West Athletic Conference series. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.
BOX SCORE
GAME ONE
VU (7-10, 1-0) – 003 110 20(10) – 17
Lewis & Clark – 014 040 000 – 9
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Parnin 2, Heyerly, Clifton. HR – Heyerly, Juarez, Clifton. RBI – Heyerly 5, Juarez 3, Parnin 2, Clifton 2, Robinson, Napier, Newman. SB – Douglas 2, Montgomery 2. Sac Bunt – Robinson.
GAME TWO
VU (8-10, 2-0) – 043 000 1 – 8
Lewis & Clark – 302 000 0 – 5
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Napier, Whitehead, Newman. HR – Parnin. RBI – Robinson 2, Parnin 2, Whitehead 2, Newman. HBP – Napier. Sac Fly – Robinson. Sac Bunt – Robinson.