Trailblazer baseball season starts with split at Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The 2023 Vincennes University baseball season got underway with a bang Friday afternoon with the Trailblazers taking game one of the doubleheader 7-4 before falling in game two 3-0.

The VU season started quickly with sophomore second baseman Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) leading off game one of the day with a bunt single.

Burdette would later score on an RBI single by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.). Evans would also come around to score after executing a delayed double steal with sophomore Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.).

Egger would score the third run of the opening inning of the season on an RBI single by sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.).

The Cougars would get on the board as well in the bottom of the first on a solo home run, which was quickly answered by a solo home run by freshman Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) in the second to give the Blazers a 4-1 lead.

The pitching would settle in for both teams before VU struck again with another solo home run, this time from Colton Evans.

Sophomore Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) led off the sixth inning with a single and later scored on a fielding error to extend the VU lead and Ethan Burdette would give VU a six-run lead after scoring on a wild pitch.

The Cougars would attempt a late comeback and rallied late with three runs in the sixth inning to cut the Trailblazers lead to 7-4, but were unable to get any closer as VU closed out the opening day win at Cleveland State.

“Hitting wise, I’m extremely pleased with game one,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “Burdette got on three times with a walk, a hit by pitch and a bunt single. Colton Evans finishing with two RBI’s on a home run and a single. Then Kade Hinton swung it really well and ends up hitting a solo shot home run. Dale Coy steps up with a big RBI.”

“It was a great way to start the season with us swinging the bats like that,” Barney added.

Vincennes got an excellent start on the mound by sophomore Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) who finished off five strong innings, surrendering one run on two hits and striking out seven batters.

Freshman Xavier Hart (Jeffersonville, Ind.) entered the game from the bullpen in the sixth and picked up the final four outs of the game to close out the win.