Trailblazers split series with No. 14 Lincoln Land after one-hit outing by Harbuck

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team finished their four-game Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) weekend series with NJCAA Division II No. 14-ranked Lincoln Land College Sunday afternoon.

The Loggers picked up the first win of the day, taking game three of the series 13-2 before VU rallied back to finish the weekend by taking game four 4-2 with Vincennes starter sophomore Kestler Harbuck (Brooksville, Fla.) threw seven innings allowing only one hit.

Lincoln Land began the day with a bang Sunday afternoon, jumping out to an early lead after scoring three runs in the first inning and two in the second.

Vincennes would get on the board in the second as sophomore Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) scored on a groundout by freshman Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) to cut the deficit to 5-1.

The Loggers completely took control of the game in the third, scoring seven runs in the inning to grow their lead to 11.

VU would get a run back in the bottom of the inning when an RBI single by sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.) drove home freshman Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.).

Lincoln Land would score a run in the fourth and hold on to pick up the 13-2 win over the Trailblazers in five innings.

Freshman Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) got the start on the mound for VU in game three. Lasting two innings and allowing seven runs on three hits with one strikeout.

Vincennes got a solid outing out of the bullpen from sophomore Camden Greer (Boonville, Ind.) who threw the final one and one-third innings, only allowing one hit and striking out one.

The Trailblazers look to split the series with the highly-rated Logger baseball team in game four, sending sophomore Kestler Harbuck to the mound.

VU was the first team to get on the scoreboard in game four after sophomore Josiah Sizemore (Cambridge City, Ind.) and Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) walked to begin the third inning.

The next four VU batters, sophomores Colin Long, Peyton Lane (New Paris, Ohio), Connor VanLannen and freshman Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.) all came through with RBI singles, giving the Blazers a 4-0 lead.

Harbuck lasted three innings without giving up a hit, giving up a single to lead-off the fourth before retiring 12 of the next 14 batters he faced.

Harbuck pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one run on one hit and striking out seven.

Sophomore Braedon Nichols (Sullivan, Ind.) came in to finish out the eighth inning, throwing an inning and a third, allowing one run on three hits and striking out the final batter he faced to lead-off the ninth inning.

Sophomore Luke Osborn (Perrysville, Ind.) entered the game to get the final two outs to pick up his fourth save of the season, as Vincennes came away with the day two split and split the four-game series with Lincoln Land, winning game four 4-2.

"Obviously it starts on the mound and it started like that on the mound in game three," VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. "That was the difference in the game when we give up 13 runs on seven hits. But in game four our guys responded well. Kestler Harbuck did a great job on the mound and then the bullpen came in."

"I couldn't have scripted it any better in the second game," Barney added. "We got a quality start out of our pitching and then had a big third inning where we come up with some back-to-back hits to take advantage of two walks to come up with four consecutive RBIs. Three were on well hit balls and one squeaked through the infield, but we will take them anyway we can get them and that's why those guys are hitting two through five in the order."

"Kestler has did really well today. He's got to establish himself in the zone a little better earlier in the game, giving up a walk in each of the first four innings before settling down and giving up a walk in the sixth and one in the eighth. He did a great job. He pitched himself out of some jams early and that's the difference in the game."

The Trailblazers will be on the road to begin their slate of games next week, beginning Wednesday March 30 when VU travels to Olney, Ill. to face-off against Olney Central for a single, nine inning game. First pitch Wednesday is set for 3 p.m. eastern.

Vincennes will then begin their four-game Conference series at Danville Area Community College Saturday, April 2. First pitch Saturday is set for 2 p.m. eastern.

The series will then shift back to Jerry Blemker Field Sunday, April 3 for the final two games. First pitch Sunday is set for 1 p.m. eastern.

"This is a big week coming up for us," Barney said. "We'll see what the weather does on Wednesday, it's obviously been raining a lot during the middle of the week, but that beats it raining over the weekend. So, if we can play we will, but if not we will be ready to play against Danville. We have to go there Saturday and play a doubleheader and then they come here for two on Sunday."

"We feel good about the way we are playing," Barney added. "We have to feel good about taking a split with Lincoln Land and getting three out of four on the road against Spoon River last weekend. We are fine where we are at, we just have to continue the momentum and hopefully grab at least three games next weekend."

GAME THREE

Lincoln Land – 327   10 – 13

VU (11-12, 4-3) – 011   00 – 2

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Coy, Egger. RBI – Long, Elliott.

GAME FOUR

Lincoln Land – 000   000   020 – 2

VU (12-12, 5-3) – 004   000   00x – 4

VINCENNES HITTING

3B – Evans. RBI – Long, Lane, Evans, VanLannen. SB – Elliott, VanLannen, Long.