Trailblazer baseball season starts with split at Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The 2023 Vincennes University baseball season got underway with a bang Friday afternoon with the Trailblazers taking game one of the doubleheader 7-4 before falling in game two 3-0.

The VU season started quickly with sophomore second baseman Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) leading off game one of the day with a bunt single.

Burdette would later score on an RBI single by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.). Evans would also come around to score after executing a delayed double steal with sophomore Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.).

Egger would score the third run of the opening inning of the season on an RBI single by sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.).

The Cougars would get on the board as well in the bottom of the first on a solo home run, which was quickly answered by a solo home run by freshman Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) in the second to give the Blazers a 4-1 lead.

The pitching would settle in for both teams before VU struck again with another solo home run, this time from Colton Evans.

Sophomore Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) led off the sixth inning with a single and later scored on a fielding error to extend the VU lead and Ethan Burdette would give VU a six-run lead after scoring on a wild pitch.

The Cougars would attempt a late comeback and rallied late with three runs in the sixth inning to cut the Trailblazers lead to 7-4, but were unable to get any closer as VU closed out the opening day win at Cleveland State.

"Hitting wise, I'm extremely pleased with game one," VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. "Burdette got on three times with a walk, a hit by pitch and a bunt single. Colton Evans finishing with two RBI's on a home run and a single. Then Kade Hinton swung it really well and ends up hitting a solo shot home run. Dale Coy steps up with a big RBI."

"It was a great way to start the season with us swinging the bats like that," Barney added.

Vincennes got an excellent start on the mound by sophomore Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) who finished off five strong innings, surrendering one run on two hits and striking out seven batters.

Freshman Xavier Hart (Jeffersonville, Ind.) entered the game from the bullpen in the sixth and picked up the final four outs of the game to close out the win.

"Obviously the storyline coming out of game one today was Dawson Blaylock shutting them down for five innings," Barney said. "He threw really, really well and had great command. Then Eli Steimel (Sullivan, Ind.) came in to face three lefties and if we make the last play he's out of the inning. Then Xavier Hart came in and threw really well to close it out."

Cleveland State looked to avoid the sweep in game two of the day and got started early, scoring runs in the first two innings of the game to take a quick 2-0 lead.

Vincennes had opportunities to get on the board in the middle innings after loading the bases with no outs in the third and getting runners on first and second with one out in the fourth, but were unable to capitalize to push a run across.

The Cougars added an insurance run in the sixth, which looked to be a very big run after VU would load the bases with one out in the seventh.

Cleveland State avoided the late rally by closing out the game with a strikeout and a good play on a hard ground ball back to the pitcher as Vincennes drops game two of the day 3-0.

"We had our opportunities in game two," Barney said. "We had bases loaded no outs and two on with one out, then get bases loaded one out in the last inning and didn't score any runs in those three innings. That's the difference in the game."

"We out hit them in game two," Barney added. "We just didn't come through with some timely hits like we did in the first game."

"Someone who I thought really played well today because he played his way into starting was Kade Hinton," Barney said when asked about which freshmen played well today. "He had a home run and barreled up three balls in the first game, then had a single and a bunt base hit in game two. So he really stood out for us."

"Xavier Hart coming out of the bullpen was another one," Barney added. "He threw really well for us. In the second game Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.) was one for two with a single and a walk. We had six freshmen playing in the second game today because we were just trying to get some guys on the dirt and see what they can do."

Freshman Gavin Craggs (Taylorville, Ill.) got the start on the mound in game two and finished two and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on two hits and striking out three in his collegiate debut.

Freshman Aaron Fenn (Fort Wayne, Ind.) looked good out of the bullpen, throwing two and a third scoreless innings, allowing one hit and punching out one.

Sophomore Caleb Moore (St. Louis, Mo.) struck out the only batter he faced and freshman Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) picked up the final two outs of the sixth, one coming as a strikeout.

"Gavin started for us and just pitched okay," Barney said. "Aaron Fenn threw really well for his two and a third innings. Then Caleb Moore comes in and strikes out the one guy he faced and Jace Parnin finished it out."

The Trailblazers will look to pick up the series win tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 11 in a single, nine-inning game. First pitch tomorrow is set for 11 a.m. eastern.

"We competed really well today, with exception to the hitting in the second game," Barney said. "We really did a good job overall of jumping on their mistakes today and capitalized. We had positive energy all day."

"Going into tomorrow, nine inning game, it's a get away day, the last game of a series, when you start throwing all of that into the mix you try to feel good about yourselves as you leave the field tomorrow," Barney added. "I feel good about where we are at. We've got Josh McCormick, Jake Stuteville and Logan Medsker all ready to roll. Plus our bullpen is still pretty fresh after only using eight pitchers today."

"I feel really good about where we stand heading into tomorrow," Barney added. "We've just got to get off the horse, come up with some timely hitting and continue to pitch it like we have and play good defense. If we do that, then we'll be right in the thick of things tomorrow."

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

VU (1-0) – 310   012   0 – 7

Cleveland State – 100   003   0 – 4

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Clifton. HR – Evans, Hinton. RBI – Evans 2, Coy, Hinton. HBP – Burdette. SB – Evans, Egger, Burdette.

GAME TWO

VU (1-1) – 000   000   0 – 0

Cleveland State – 110   001   x – 3

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Evans. HBP – Breneman, Evans.