Trailblazers drop back and forth season opener at Cleveland State C.C.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Vincennes University baseball team opened their 2025 Spring season Friday afternoon with a single nine-inning game at Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee.

The Trailblazers got off to a rocky start but were able to battle back and take the lead late unfortunately this lead would not hold as VU fell in their season opener to the Cougars 7-6.

The season did not get off to the best of starts for the Trailblazers, after a scoreless top of the first, the host Cougars opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with four runs to take an early 4-0 lead.

Vincennes would respond in the second however, opening the inning with a lead off walk by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) followed by an RBI double by sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) to get the Blazers on the scoreboard.

VU would add more runs in the second on a big two-run home run by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.), his first collegiate home run, getting the Blazers back within a run at 4-3.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the bottom of the second before the scoring slowed until the Blazers evened the score in the fifth.

Vincennes would again take advantage of a lead off walk in the fifth inning, this time by sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.).

Douglas would advance to third on a fielding error put in play by freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.) and come in to score on a sacrifice fly after a 12-pitch battle of an at bat by freshman Jaret Phillips (Jeffersonville, Ind.).

Andrews would tie the game at 5-5 by scoring on a groundout by sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.), shifting the momentum back to the VU dugout.

Vincennes would grab their first lead of the season in the seventh after a one-out double by Douglas was followed by an RBI single by Jevan Andrews to put the Trailblazers on top 6-5.

This lead would unfortunately not hold however as the Cougars would get their offense going again in the bottom of the eighth, plating a pair of runs to go back on top 7-6.

Vincennes was unable to respond in the top of the ninth and extend the game as Cleveland State closed out the 7-6 victory over the Trailblazers.

Freshman Grayson Reichert (Shepherdsville, Ky.) got the season opener start on the mound for the Trailblazers and was able to settle in after a tough first inning.

Reichert would pitch into the fourth inning, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three in his collegiate debut.

Freshman Jacob Allen (Vincennes, Ind.) was the first man out of the bullpen Friday for VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney, getting out of a tough jam in the fourth and going on to throw four strong innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out two.

Bryce Gross would take the mound from the shortstop position in the eighth, allowing one hit in an inning of work.

The Trailblazers will look to bounce back when VU returns to the field in Cleveland, Tenn. Saturday, Feb. 8 for games two and three of this four-game weekend series.

Game one of Saturday's doubleheader is set for a 12 p.m. eastern first pitch, with game two to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

The Blazers will then close out the weekend slate Sunday, Feb. 9 against the Cougars, with first pitch Sunday also scheduled for 12 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

VU (0-1) – 030   020   100 – 6

Cleveland State – 410   00   02x – 7

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Douglas, Napier. HR – Gross. RBI – Gross 2, Andrews, Phillips, Montgomery, Napier. SB – Douglas. SF – Phillips.