VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team bounced back strong after a tough conference weekend by picking up a walk-off win over NJCAA Division I Lincoln Trail College 5-4 Tuesday night in 10 innings.
The Statesmen got on the board early, scoring a run in the top of the first.
Vincennes responded in the second to even the game after a single by freshman Jordan Roth (Delphi, Ind.) and an RBI single by sophomore Josiah Sizemore (Cambridge City, Ind.).
Lincoln Trail came back in the third to score a pair of runs on back-to-back two-out bloop singles to take a 3-1 lead.
Lincoln Trail would add to their lead with a run in the fifth.
Vincennes began to rally back late when sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.) led off the eighth with a double. Long would later score on a wild pitch.
Vincennes loaded the bases in the eighth on three-straight walks by sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.), Roth and freshman Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.)
Freshman Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.) entered the game as a pinch hitter and came through with a two-RBI double to score Coy and Roth, with Elliott, representing the go-ahead run, getting tagged out at the plate as Vincennes tied the game at 4-4.
The Trailblazers would get a runner on third in the ninth but were unable to bring the run in as the game was headed to extra innings.
Vincennes would end the top of the 10th on a double play to keep the game tied heading into the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the 10th, Vincennes completed their comeback on back-to-back-to-back singles by Coy, Roth and a walk-off single by Elliott to give the Trailblazers the 5-4 win.
"We battled and had guys step up," VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. "Colton Evans stepped up with a big, bases loaded-two out double down the right field line. Then later in the game Kaden Elliott, hopefully this is going to get him back on track here. He had some really good at bats today, he hit the ball hard to center field for a lineout and then obviously, at the end of the game came up with the big hit."
"Hats off to our guys and we took advantage of their mistakes and opportunities that they gave us with some walks," Barney added. "We were able to execute on a bunt and do some things that allowed us to get a chance to win and then we stepped up and won."
Vincennes freshman Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) got the start on the mound for the Trailblazers. Blaylock threw three innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out two.
The VU bullpen came through in a big way Tuesday night, with seven pitchers throwing seven innings, allowing one run on two hits and combining for seven strikeouts.
Sophomore Braedon Nichols (Sullivan, Ind.) pitched a pair of clean innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced and throwing 17 pitches in the two innings.
Freshman Eli Steimel (Sullivan, Ind.) entered in the eighth inning to strike out the two batters he faced Tuesday.
Freshman Jake Stuteville (Rockport, Ind.) pitched a scoreless 10th inning to come away with the winning decision.
"First of all, our bullpen did a great job for us today," Barney said. "We used seven guys in relief after Dawson Blaylock kept us in the game for the first three innings and only gave up one more run in seven innings."
"Cauy Motsinger (Huntingburg, Ind.) came in first and gave us two good innings," Barney added. "Then we had Nichols come in and throw really, really well for two innings. Sizemore faced two guys, then Steimel comes in to close out the inning."
"Then the guys did what they were supposed to. Osborn pitches in the 9th to close the door and Stuteville gets the win in the 10th, working his way out of a jam he started with a single and a walk, which Lincoln Trail didn't execute on and we did to turn a double play. Things turned our way and we had some momentum we were able to carry through. But one of the big keys for us today was getting it done on the mound."
The Trailblazers will hope to continue this momentum into their weekend Mid-West Athletic Conference series with Illinois Central College at Jerry Blemker Field.
The first two games of this four-game weekend series will begin on Saturday, April 23, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. eastern.
The series will conclude with the final two games, Sunday, April 24 with first pitch set for 12 p.m. eastern.
"I hope this win helps build confidence and helps our guys get to feel what it's like to win again after a five-game losing streak," Barney said. "The other side of it is playing well and we were able to play well all day today. We minimized free bases, we took advantage of their mistakes and we executed all the way around, defensively, offensively and on the mound."
"Hopefully we can carry that through as the weekend goes and get our starters back on track a little bit as we go into this weekend with Illinois Central," Barney added.
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
Lincoln Trail – 102 010 000 0 – 4
VU (16-21, 6-10) – 010 000 030 1 – 5
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Evans, Long. RBI – Elliott, Sizemore, Evans 2. HBP – Roth. SB – Roth.
