Trailblazer baseball opens conference schedule with four-game split

VINCENNES, Ind., Godfrey, Ill. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team had their first Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series of the season over the weekend when VU hosted Lewis & Clark for a doubleheader Saturday before hitting the road to Godfrey, Ill for another doubleheader Sunday.

Game one of the four-game set was hosted at Jerry Blemker Field and VU held their own on their home diamond.

The back-and-forth battle saw Vincennes ahead 7-5 after six innings, before Lewis & Clark evened the score with a pair of runs in the seventh.

Vincennes responded back by scoring three runs in the eighth as Parker Watts closed out the ninth to give VU the 10-7 win.

On the mound Gehrig Tenhumberg got the start for VU and threw six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and striking out seven.

Luke Osborn pitched an inning and a third of relief, giving up two runs on two hits before Watts finished out the last inning an two-thirds without giving up a run or a hit.

Lewis & Clark got the early lead in game two at Vincennes, scoring two in the first and five in the second to take a 7-0 lead.

VU would answer back with three runs in the fourth, but L & C came back with two runs in the fifth.

Lewis & Clark would add another run in the seventh making the score 10-3 before Vincennes would answer with two in the bottom half of the seventh but were not able to erase the seven-run lead as VU fell 10-5.

Cooper Thacker got the start on the mound, throwing an inning and two-thirds, giving up seven runs on six hits and one strike out.

Bailey Elliott relieved Thacker and pitched three innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out two.

Tanner Pittman finished the final two and a third innings, giving up one run on one hit and recording one punch out.

The series then shifted to Godfrey, Ill. for the final two games of the four-game series.

Vincennes jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first game Sunday afternoon. VU still held a 5-2 lead in the fourth before Lewis & Clark answered with four runs to take a 6-5 advantage.

VU would even the score in the sixth but ultimately Lewis & Clark came away with the win with a walk-off home run in the ninth as L & C took game three 7-6.

Vincennes sent Sam Steimel to the mound and he threw eight innings, giving up seven runs on six hits and recording two strike outs.

VU responded in the final game of the weekend by opening up an 8-0 lead after the second inning.

Vincennes would add two more runs in the fourth and four in the fifth as the Blazers cruised to a 14-0 shutout win in five innings.

Braedon Nichols shut down the Lewis & Clark batters on the mound, pitching five innings, giving up two hits and striking out five.

Vincennes is scheduled to host Lake Land College at Jerry Blemker Field Tuesday, March 23. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. eastern.

VU will continue their MWAC schedule this weekend when the Blazers take on Danville Area Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28. Vincennes will host one of the two days, but that has yet to be decided.

Game One

Lewis & Clark  0 2 1   1 1 0   2 0 0  - 7

Vincennes (11-4)  0 3 0   2 1 1   0 3 x – 10  15  1

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Peyton Lane, Isaac Lane, Devon Rodgers, Max Flock. 3B – Max Flock. HR – Peyton Lane. RBI – Trent Weiss 2, Peyton Lane 2, Devon Rogers, Nate McVaigh 2, Garrett Lawson, Max Flock.

Game Two

Lewis & Clark   2 5 0   0 2 0   1 – 10

Vincennes (11-5)  0 0 0   3 0 0   2 – 5 11 5

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Peyton Lane, Isaac Lane. 3B – Peyton Lane. RBI – Peyton Lane, Isaac Lane, Max Flock, Ryne Wheeler.

Game Three Sunday at Lewis & Clark

Vincennes (11-6)  3 1 0   1 0 1   0 0 0 – 6 10 1

Lewis & Clark  0 2 0  4 0 0   0 0 1 – 7

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Nate McVaigh. HR – Macaine Claycomb, Max Flock. RBI – Colin Long, Trent Weiss, Macaine Claycomb 3, Max Flock. CS – Colin Long, Brody Ruggles.

Game Four

Vincennes (12-6)  1 7 0  2 4 – 14 13 1

Lewis & Clark  0 0 0   0 0 – 0

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Colin Long, Peyton Lane, Isaac Lane, Macaine Claycomb, Devon Rodgers. HR – Peyton Lane 2, Devon Rodgers, Garrett Lawson.  RBI – Trent Weiss, Peyton Lane 5, Macaine Claycomb, Devin Rodgers 3, Garrett Lawson 2. CS – Colin Long.