Trailblazers sweep doubleheader, Barney earns 400th win

VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University Head Baseball Coach arrived at Jerry Blemker Field Saturday morning two wins shy of 400 career wins as Trailblazers Head Coach and his team gave him exactly two wins on the day.

The Trailblazers picked up the doubleheader sweep thanks to some sixth inning comebacks to win 5-3 over Lincoln Trail College and 17-14 over Glen Oaks Community College.

VU began their day against NJCAA Division I opponent Lincoln Trail College.

The Statesmen got on the board early with three runs in the first, which was immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning after a leadoff walk by freshman Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) and an RBI triple by sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.).

Robinson would then score on an Rbi single by sophomore Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to put the Blazers within one after the first inning.

The scoring slowed after this fast start, with the starting pitchers settling in and trading zeros on the scoreboard for the next few innings.

VU would get runners on with a Jaydon Bradbury (Terre Haute, Ind.) single in the 2nd, a Douglas single in the third and a Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) but were unable to push a run across to tie or take the lead.

Vincennes would put something together in the sixth, with back-to-back singles by Kade Hinton and redshirt freshman Holden Clifton (Louisville, Ill.), followed by Corbin Napier being hit by pitch to load the bases with one out.

Sophomore Jace Parnin would even the score at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly to drive in Hinton, before the Blazers took the lead with Clifton scoring on a wild pitch.

Napier would also be driven in on an RBI single by freshman Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) giving VU a 5-3 lead over Lincoln Trail.

Freshman Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) took the mound in the seventh and was able to retire the side and give the Blazers the 5-3 victory over Lincoln Trail College.

Freshman Kaleb Marrs (Terre Haute, Ind.) got the start in game one of the day, settling down after a tough first inning to throw six innings, allowing three runs, two earned on five hits and striking out eight.

Edlin pitched the seventh to pick up the save for the Blazers, allowing no runs on no hits and striking out one.

The Trailblazers looked to keep the momentum going in the night game at Jerry Blemker Field against Glen Oaks Community College from Centreville, Mich. and the Blazers immediately fell into a bit of déjà vu, giving up three runs in the first inning in game two.

VU would again answer to score in the bottom of the first after Kade Hinton hit a double and advanced to third on a throw to the plate and later scored as Holden Clifton reached on an error to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Vincennes would jump in front of the Vikings in a big way in the second after the first four VU batters in the inning reached base safely.

Sophomore Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.) led off the inning by being hit by pitch, followed by a double by sophomore Brandon Juarez (Evansville, Ind.) and a walk by sophomore Bryan Kohlmeyer (Paris, Ill.) to load the bases.

Sophomore Keegan Schlotterbeck (Centerville, Ind.) would get the scoring started with an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly by Jace Parnin to even the score at 3-3.

After Kade Hinton walked to again load the bases for the Blazers, Holden Clifton put the Trailblazers ahead in a big way with a bases clearing, three RBI triple to put VU on top 6-3 after two.

Glen Oaks would plate a pair of runs in the third before the Trailblazers again answered, this time with a massive seven-run inning in the bottom of the third.

The first six VU batters reached safely, led by another RBI single by Schlotterbeck, a three-RBI triple by Jack Robinson and an RBI double by Jace Parnin.

Vincennes capped off the inning with a two-RBI single by Nate Montgomery to take a commanding 13-5 lead over Glen Oaks C.C.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Vikings answered the bell in a big way in the fifth, putting together a seven-run inning of their own to cut the VU lead down to one at 13-12.

The Vikings would jump in front in the sixth with a pair of runs before VU again battled back with a sixth inning rally, led by three back-to-back RBI singles by Bradyn Douglas, Kade Hinton and Holden Clifton, giving Clifton five RBIs on the game.

Hinton would cap off the scoring, crossing the plate on a fielder's choice put in play by Carter Whitehead, who reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances against the Vikings.

Once again, the VU pitching staff held their opponents at bay in the seventh, even with the Vikings bringing the potential tying run to the plate but were able to close out the victory by the final score of 17-14, earning Head Coach Chris Barney is 400th career win as coach of the Trailblazers.

Sophomore Josh McCormick (Indianapolis, Ind.) got the start in game two, throwing four-plus innings, allowing seven runs on five hits and striking out three.

Freshman Alex Wandersee (Centerville, Ind.) came out of the bullpen to throw an inning and two-thirds of relief, allowing two runs, both unearned on one hit and striking out one.

Sophomore Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) got the winning decision Saturday night, throwing an inning and one-third of scoreless ball, allowing one hit and striking out one.

The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going Sunday, March 3 when VU returns to Jerry Blemker Field to close out the weekend slate against No. 12-ranked Kellogg Community College.

VU defeated the Bruins 2-1 Friday night in a seven inning showdown and will look to do the same Sunday in a nine-inning contest. First pitch Sunday is set for 11 a.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Lincoln Trail – 300    000    0 – 3

VU (5-8) – 200    003   x – 5

VINCENNES HITTING

3B – Robinson. RBI – Robinson, Hinton, Parnin, Montgomery. Sac Fly – Parnin. SB – Douglas. HBP – Napier.

GAME TWO

Glen Oaks – 302    072   0 – 14

VU (6-8) – 157   004   x – 17

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Hinton, Juarez. 3B – Robinson, Clifton. RBI – Clifton 5, Robinson 3, Parnin 2, Schlotterbeck 2, Montgomery, Whitehead, Douglas. Sac Bunt – Drabant. Sac Fly – Parnin. SB – Whitehead 3, Clifton HBP – Whitehead, Schlotterbeck.