Trailblazers score big early in walk-off win over Frontier

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers closed out the week on a high note after picking up their second win over an NJCAA Division I opponent in five days after defeating Frontier Community College 12-4 at Jerry Blemker Field Sunday evening.

After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Trailblazers set the tone early at the plate in the bottom half of the inning, with the first four batters reaching base, including a two-RBI double by freshman Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.).

Vincennes did not just stop there however, with sophomores Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.) and Mahkai Pelzer (Douglasville, Ga.) adding to the lead with RBI singles later in the inning before sophomore Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) blew the game open with a bases clearing three-RBI triple to give the Blazers eight runs in the first and VU an early 8-1 lead.

Even after sending 12 batters to the plate in the first, VU was still not done, with sophomores Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) and Colin Long coming through with back-to-back doubles in the second, with Long's netting him his second RBI of the day.

Later in the second, Mahkai Pelzer came through again with another RBI single, giving him two hits and two RBIs in as many innings as Vincennes took complete control with an 11-1 lead.

The scoring would slow as the Blazers went to their bench and got some more playing time for a few players.

Frontier would avoid the 10-run rule in the fifth with a pair of runs and extended the game with another run in the sixth to cut the VU lead to 11-4.

VU would still look to end the game early in the seventh after a leadoff single by freshman Bracey Breneman (Linton, Ind.) and a walk by freshman Bryton Griffy (Louisville, Ill.) freshman Tucker Helton (Terre Haute, Ind.) came through with an RBI single giving the Blazers an eight-run lead and ending the game on a walk-off.

"We jumped out early on their pitcher and did a really good job," VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. "Our guys did a great job of scoring 11 runs in two innings. They obviously blanked us for the next four innings, but we were able to get a run in the seventh to cap it off."

"A lot of guys stepped up for us today," Barney added. "Burdette got on base three times. Elliott had three RBIs. Whitehead comes up with a big two-RBI double. Long gets two RBIs, Coy gets an RBI, Mahkai Pelzer goes three for three with three singles, a hit by pitch and two RBIs. So, a lot of guys contributing throughout the lineup."

"It's experience," Barney said of sending 16 different batters to the plate Sunday. "It's at bats and an opportunity to see live pitching. It's an opportunity to get into a game situation and see what you can do because down the road we are going to need some of those guys. I'd love to tell you that over the last 24 games of the regular season everybody is going to be healthy, but that's just not the way it works in baseball. So some other guys are going to have to step up at different points throughout the season and today we were just trying to get some guys in."

Freshman Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) got the start on the mound for Vincennes and threw three innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out four as he picked up his second winning decision of the season.

Freshman Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) was the first out of the pen, throwing two innings, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three.

Sophomore Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) entered to pitch the sixth, allowing one run on one hit and striking out two, while sophomore Jake Stuteville (Rockport, Ind.) pitched the seventh, allowing one base runner and striking out one.

"On the mound, Jace Parnin gets the win after throwing three innings," Barney said. "Josh McCormick deserved a better fate than what he had today in his two innings. Then we had Blaylock and Stuteville come in and both throw okay and we got what we had hoped to get out of them. Hopefully this helps us get ready for another conference weekend next weekend."

The Trailblazers will return to Mid-West Athletic Conference play for the remainder of the season, started off by a very tough weekend coming up against No. 2-ranked Heartland Community College Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 at Jerry Blemker Field.

First pitch Friday is set for 3 p.m. eastern, with first pitch on Saturday set for 12 p.m. eastern.

"Hopefully it's just confidence and experience," Barney said about his team's takeaways from this past week. "Those are the biggest things that we have to have right now. We are starting to get our pitching mapped out a little bit better than we have the first half of the season and we are still changing some things up within the rotation. Between all of that, hopefully we feel better as a club because we've got a big weekend with Heartland coming up."

BOX SCORE

Frontier – 100   021   0 – 4

VU (16-16, 4-4) – 830   000   1 – 12

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Bartlett, Long, Whitehead. 3B – Elliott. RBI – Elliott 3, Whitehead 2, Long 2, Pelzer 2, Helton, Coy. HBP – Evans, Burdette, Pelzer. SB – Breneman, Burdette.