NORMAL, Ill – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team was quickly facing elimination on the first day of the Mid-West Athletic Conference baseball tournament Wednesday night after dropping their first game of the day to Parkland 6-2.
Vincennes rebounded however, aided by a sixth inning solo home run by Isaac Lane as VU eliminated host Heartland College by the score 3-2.
Parkland got the day started early in VU's first game, with their third batter of the game hitting a solo home run. The Cobras would add an additional run in the second on an RBI double to take a 2-0 early lead.
The Vincennes bats started out cold, still looking for their first hit in the fifth, when a lead off walk by Max Flock, followed by a hit by pitch from Isaac Lane and a single from Nolan Clark loaded the bases for the Blazers.
Shortstop Peyton Lane put Vincennes on the scoreboard with an RBI single, cutting the Parkland lead to 2-1.
Parkland responded with a run in the sixth, which VU answered in the seventh with another Peyton Lane RBI single. Parkland led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
The Cobras struck back hard in the eighth. Parkland managed to score three runs on three hits in the inning to grow the lead to 6-2 heading to the ninth.
Vincennes was only able to get runners on first and second in the ninth as Parkland advanced and sent VU down to the elimination side of the tournament bracket.
Sam Steimel was a work-horse on the mound for the Blazers, throwing 7.2 innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits and striking out four.
Cody Swimm relieved Steimel in the eighth and retired the only batter he faced on five pitches.
"Sam did a great job, he gave us a chance," VU baseball coach Chris Barney said. "We left some opportunities out there, we had a lack of execution on a bunt, we got called out for leaving a base early and those things really hurt when you play a good club. We have to play better against good teams."
The Blazers had no time to get over their first round loss however, as VU had to immediately turnaround and play an elimination game against tournament host Heartland.
Vincennes again fell behind early in their second game of the day, as the Hawks pushed across two runs in the first, without recording a hit.
Trailblazer starter Gehrig Tenhumberg carried his no-hitter into the fourth, going 3.1 innings without allowing a Heartland hit.
VU got their offense going in the fifth after Trent Weiss and Macaine Claycomb hit back-to-back RBI singles to even the score at 2-2.
The game wasn't tied for long though, as Isaac Lane hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the Blazers the 3-2 advantage.
Vincennes pitcher Connor VanLannen was called on to pitch in relief for the Blazers and he answered the call strong, throwing four innings of scoreless baseball, giving up three hits and punching out four.
Tenhumberg managed to pitch strong after a tough first inning to throw five innings, giving up two runs on two hits and recording six strikeouts.
"With the exception of Gehrig's rough start early, he settled in and got us through five, then the way Connor VanLannen pitched those last four innings was outstanding," Barney added. "Isaac Lane steps up with a huge hit, probably the biggest hit of his VU career was that home run that put us ahead."
"Gehrig had a shaky start but he settled in after the first inning and that's what good pitchers do. He found a way to get three outs after walking four guys. (Heartland) didn't capitalize on those walks."
The Trailblazers advance to the next round of the elimination bracket, where they will meet the loser of Danville Area vs. Lincoln Land, Thursday May 20. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. eastern.
VU (23-30) 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 – 2 5 0
Parkland 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 x – 6 10 1
VINCENNES HITTING
RBI – Peyton Lane 2. Runs – Max Flock, Nolan Clark.
Heartland 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 5 1
VU (24-30) 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 x – 3 5 1
VINCENNES HITTING
HR – Isaac Lane. RBI – Trent Weiss, Macaine Claycomb, Isaac Lane. Runs – Isaac Lane, Max Flock, Ryne Wheeler.
