SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -The Vincennes University baseball team closed out the weekend with a bang Sunday at Lincoln Land Community College, completing the daily sweep to even the Mid-West Athletic Conference series with the Loggers, taking game one 2-1 before winning game two 7-4.
The first game of the day in Springfield proved to be a pitcher's duel from the beginning with neither team registering a hit until the fifth inning.
VU was the first to break the scoreless tie with a leadoff single by sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.). Long came around to score on a fielder's choice put in play by sophomore Mahkai Pelzer (Douglasville, Ga.).
Vincennes would get another run in the fifth on an RBI single by sophomore Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.
Lincoln Land was able to respond in the bottom half of the inning but were only able to cut the deficit in half and the Blazers leading 2-1 after five innings.
Both offenses tried to build off of this inning and although both teams were able to get base runners in scoring position every inning, the pitchers held solid as VU held out to pick up the 2-1 victory in game one of the day.
Vincennes got a massive boost from sophomore starting pitcher Xavier Hart (Jeffersonville, Ind.) who continues to play well, throwing a complete game, allowing one run on just two hits in seven innings of work. Hart also struck out five batters in the outing.
The Trailblazers looked to hold on to this momentum in game two of the day, looking to leave Springfield on a high note in the series finale.
VU got off to a hot start in game two with the first six batters of the game for the Trailblazers reaching base, including an RBI single by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.), a run driven in on an error put in play by sophomore Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) and a run driven in on a bases loaded walk by freshman Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
The Blazers set the tone early with a four-run first inning to take an early 4-0 lead.
Vincennes added to their lead in the third inning after Kobe Bartlett led off the inning with a single, followed by a double by Colin Long, one of his three hits on the game.
The sophomore outfield pair would later score after Trevor Newman hit a sacrifice fly and Long scored on an RBI single by freshman Keegan Schlotterbeck (Centerville, Ind.), giving the Blazers a 6-0 lead.
Lincoln Land would get on the board in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs and continued to cut into the deficit with a run in the sixth to cut the VU lead to 6-3.
VU added an insurance run late in the eighth inning after a leadoff double by Schlotterbeck. Keegan advanced on a wild pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.).
Lincoln Land attempted a late two-out rally in the ninth but were unable to completely erase the deficit as VU comes away with the 7-4 victory in game two, completing the doubleheader sweep over the host Loggers.
Vincennes got another strong start in game two of the day from sophomore lefty Gavin Craggs (Taylorville, Ill.). Craggs threw six strong innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out six on his way to getting the winning decision.
Freshman Aaron Fenn (Fort Wayne, Ind.) entered from the pen to pick up the three-inning save, throwing the final three innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out one.
The Trailblazers will return home to Jerry Blemker Field next weekend after spending the last two weekends on the road.
VU will return home to host Lewis & Clark Community College in an MWAC conference series Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. First pitch Saturday is set for 2 p.m. eastern and first pitch Sunday is set for 12 p.m. eastern.
BOX SCORE
GAME ONE
VU (18-25, 6-13) – 000 020 0 – 2
Lincoln Land – 000 010 0 – 1
VINCENNES HITTING
RBI – Burdette, Pelzer.
GAME TWO
VU (19-25, 7-13) – 402 000 010 – 7
Lincoln Land – 002 001 001 – 4
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Long, Schlotterbeck. RBI – Newman 2, Elliott, Evans, Bartlett, Schlotterbeck. HBP – Bartlett. SF – Elliott, Newman.