EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team closed out their penultimate conference series of the 2021 regular season at Illinois Central Monday afternoon and fell 2-1 in game one and 7-5 in game two.

The blue and gold found themselves matched up in a pitcher's duel in game one of the day as the two teams managed to remain scoreless until the bottom of the fifth.

Illinois Central scored a run in the fifth, which VU answered back with a run in the sixth to tie, but ICC came back with a run in the sixth as well, which would be the winning run.

The Cougars closed out the game in the seventh to take game one 2-1.

Connor VanLannen had a good day on the mound, going the distance with six innings, giving up two runs on four hits and four strikeouts.

The offenses picked up in game two, as VU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third before Illinois Central answered back with two runs in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the lead back 5-4.

Vincennes tied the game in the eighth at 5-all and the Cougars responded on their home field with two runs in the bottom half to game two 7-5.

The Trailblazers got five runs on three hits as a team by being patient at the plate and drawing nine walks on the day.

Trent Weiss drew three walks for VU, with Nate McVaigh and Max Flock each getting two.

The Trailblazers will look to close out the 2021 regular season strong, facing off with Spoon River in a four-game conference series.

Vincennes will travel to Canton, Ill. to take on the Snappers Thursday May 13, first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.

The Blazers will return home to Jerry Blemker Field Saturday, May 15 for the regular season home finale. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. eastern.

VU (19-28) 0 0 0  0 0 1 0 – 1 6 0

Illinois Central 0 0 0  0 1 1  x – 2 4 0

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Peyton Lane, Max Flock. RBI – Peyton Lane. SB – Devon Rodgers.

VU (19-29) 1 2 1  0 0 0   0 1 0 – 5 3 0

Illinois Central  0 0 2  1 2 0  0 2 x – 7 10 0

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Nolan Clark. RBI – Isaac Lane, Ryne Wheeler, Nolan Clark.