Trailblazers score early and often in series finale win over Cleveland State C.C.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Vincennes University baseball team closed out their four-game weekend series Sunday afternoon with Cleveland State Community College.

The Trailblazers were able to jump on the Cougar pitchers early Sunday afternoon and ride this hot start to a big 14-6 victory over Cleveland State C.C.

The VU offense wasted little time getting going Sunday afternoon with the first six Trailblazer batters reaching base safely.

Vincennes led off the game with back to back walks by sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) and freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.).

Douglas would come around to score the first run of the game on a wild pitch, with Andrews following him on a bases loaded walk by freshman Jaret Phillips (Jeffersonville, Ind.).

Sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) got the first VU hit of the game and would score on an RBI single by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) to give the Trailblazers an early 3-0 lead over the Cougars.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning but the Trailblazers were not done, leading off the second inning with a double by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.), who later scored on an RBI single by Nate Montgomery.

Sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) followed this with an RBI double and Yancey Edlin finished the inning with another RBI single, giving him two RBIs on the day as VU opened up a big 6-1 early advantage.

Vincennes would keep scoring in the third with a lead off walk by freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.), a single by Bryce Gross and a perfect sacrifice bunt by Bradyn Douglas.

Gricius would score on a sacrifice fly by Jevan Andrews to increase the Vincennes lead to 7-1.

Cleveland State would respond in the bottom of the third however, scoring three runs to cut the deficit back to 7-4.

The offenses cooled through the middle innings before the Blazers opened the seventh inning with three straight singles by sophomore Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.), Carter Gricius and Bryce Gross.

Vincennes would capitalize on this bases loaded start to the inning with a bases loaded walk by Jevan Andrews and an RBI single by Nate Montgomery.

Bradyn Douglas would score the third VU run of the inning on a wild pitch to give the Trailblazers a 10-4 lead over the host Cougars.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the eighth but Vincennes responded back in a big way in the ninth.

Vincennes once again as able to capitalize on early base runners as Bryce Gross led off the inning with a single, his fourth hit of the game, followed by a walk by Bradyn Douglas, who reached base five times Sunday afternoon and an RBI single by Jevan Andrews, giving him three RBIs in the game.

After Corbin Napier was hit by pitch to load the bases Vincennes would clear them on a costly error by the Cougars, scoring all three runs to give the Trailblazers a commanding 14-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.

Cleveland State attempted to get some momentum going at the plate but were only able to push one run across in the ninth as Vincennes closed out the game with the 14-6 win, splitting the four-game series with Cleveland State C.C.

Freshman Kyle Holder (Mount Vernon, Ind.) got the start on the mound Sunday afternoon for the Trailblazers, throwing two and two thirds innings, allowing four runs on three hits and picking up his first collegiate winning decision.

Freshman Ty Stultz (Terre Haute, Ind.) pitched five innings in relief, keeping the Cougar batters at bay by allowing one run on four hits and striking out six, including striking out the side in the fourth inning.

Freshman Kory Kingsbury (Evansville, Ind.) relieved Stultz in the eight inning, retiring the only two batters he faced on just seven pitches.

Yancey Edlin took over in the ninth from his first baseman position, allowing one run one two hits in one-third of an inning before handing the ball to Bryce Gross coming in from the shortstop position to get the final out of the game, allowing one hit on the day.

The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going as they get set for opening day at Jerry Blemker Field Friday, Feb. 14 when VU hosts Schoolcraft College at 6 p.m. eastern.

This will be the first game of the first VU weekend tournament of the season, with the Trailblazers returning to the field Saturday, Feb. 15 to take on Frontier Community College at 1:30 p.m. and South Suburban College at 6:30 p.m. eastern.

Vincennes will close out the weekend tournament on Sunday, Feb. 16 against an opponent to be determined, with first pitch Sunday scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

VU (2-2) – 331   000   304 – 14

Cleveland State – 103   000   011 – 6

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Gross, Napier. RBI – Andrews 3, Montgomery 2, Edlin 2, Napier, Phillips. HBP – Napier 2. Sac Fly -Andrews. Sac Bunt – Douglas.