Trailblazers split back-and-forth doubleheader at Illinois Central College

PEORIA, Ill. – The Vincennes University baseball team picked up a two-game split Friday afternoon in the first two games of their four-game Mid-West Athletic Conference series at Illinois Central College.

The Blazers dropped game one to the host Cougars 11-10 before returning strong to take game two of the day 13-7 over ICC.

The day got off to a tough start for the Blazers with Illinois Central striking first with three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 3-0 lead in game one.

VU would get on the board in the third inning after a leadoff walk by sophomore Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.) and sophomore Damon Kay (Spencer, Ind.) being hit by a pitch.

The pair then moved up to scoring position after a successful sacrifice bunt by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) before sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) came through with a sacrifice fly to score Johnson from third.

Illinois Central would get the run back in the bottom half of the inning to put their lead back at 4-1.

VU responded with another run in the fourth after freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.) was hit by pitch and later scored on an RBI single by Noble Johnson.

After Illinois Central responded back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, Vincennes shifted the momentum with a big five-run fifth inning.

The Trailblazers opened the inning with a double by freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.), followed by a single by sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) and a walk by Carter Gricius to load the bases.

VU would open the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly by sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) and an RBI single by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) and an RBI double by Noble Johnson, giving him two RBIs in the game.

Edlin would later score on a wild pitch and Johnson scoring after Bryce Gross reached on a fielding error to give the Trailblazers a 7-6 lead over the Cougars.

Illinois Central would even the score with a run in the fifth before VU regained the lead in the sixth on an RBI double by Carter Gricius.

ICC once again evened the score with a run in the bottom of the sixth, which Vincennes immediately responded with a pair of runs in the seventh, scoring on a two-out two-RBI double by Carter Gricius to give the Blazers a 10-8 lead.

Illinois Central would pick up some momentum in the eighth with a run to cut the deficit to one before coming back and scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to pick up the walk-off win over the Blazers 11-10.

Sophomore Carson Allen (Louisville, Ky.) got the start on the mound for the Trailblazers in game one, throwing four innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and striking out two.

Freshman Ty Stultz (Terre Haute, Ind.) pitched four strong innings out of the bullpen, allowing one earned run on seven hits and punching out a career-high eight.

Illinois Central carried this momentum into game two, again striking early with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.

Vincennes once again got on the board in the third, this time capitalizing on walks by Bryce Gross and Nate Montgomery to set up a big three-run home run by Carter Gricius, his third of the season, to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead.

VU continued to add to their lead in the fourth with a leadoff solo home run by Yancey Edlin, his second of the season to put the Blazers up 4-2, before getting another leadoff solo home run in the fifth by Jevan Andrews, his second of the season to give VU a three-run lead.

Illinois Central answered back in the bottom of the fifth to even the score at 5-5 with three runs in the inning.

Vincennes then came back stronger in the sixth, breaking away with a big six-run inning.

VU's first six batter in the inning reached base safely, headlined by a bases loaded walk by Jevan Andrews, his second RBI of the game before Nate Montgomery cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to put the Blazers up 9-5.

Montgomery would come around to score on a fielding error put in play by Carter Gricius, who later came around to score in the inning on a fielding error put in play by Noble Johnson to give the Blazers an 11-5 advantage.

Illinois Central cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs, which was answered by a pair of insurance runs by VU in the seventh.

Vincennes added their insurance runs in the seventh with a leadoff single by Bryce Gross, his third hit of the game, followed by a single by Jevan Andrews.

Gross scored his third run of the game on a fielder's choice by Carter Gricius, his fourth RBI of the game and Andrews later scored on a successful double steal with Gricius.

Vincennes was able to hold off a late Cougar comeback in the bottom half of the inning as the Blazers picked up the 13-7 win over Illinois Central College.

Sophomore JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) got the start in game two for the Trailblazers, throwing six innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits and striking out eight, matching his season high.

Freshman Jakob Hoyer (Georgetown, Ind.) came in from his shortstop position to close out the seventh inning, striking out two in one inning of work on the mound.

The Trailblazers will look to carry this momentum into the series finale doubleheader when the two teams return to the field tomorrow, Saturday, March 29 at 1 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

VU (12-17, 3-10) – 001   151   200 – 10

Illinois Central – 301   211   012 – 11

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Gricius 2, Andrews, Johnson. RBI – Gricius 3, Johnson 2, Douglas, Napier, Edlin. HBP – Kay 2, Gross, Gricius. Sac Fly – Douglas, Napier. SB – Gross, Johnson, Edlin. Sac Bunt – Gross.

GAME TWO

VU (13-17, 4-10) – 003   116   2 – 13

Illinois Central – 200   032   0 – 7

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Gross, Montgomery. HR – Gricius, Andrews, Edlin. RBI – Gricius 4, Montgomery 3, Andrews 2, Edlin. HBP – Napier. SB – Gricius, Andrews. Sac Bunt – Douglas.