CANTON, Ill. – The Vincennes University baseball team opened their weekend Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series at Spoon River College Saturday afternoon with an excellent pitching performance by freshman Carson Allen (Louisville, Ky.).
Allen would throw a nine-inning complete game in game one of the doubleheader to guide the Trailblazers to a 9-3 win.
This is the first nine-inning complete game for the Trailblazers since May 2, 2021, when Sam Steimel threw a nine-inning shutout at Parkland College.
Spoon River would bounce back in game two, picking up a 7-6 victory in walk-off fashion to split the first two of this four-game series.
Vincennes got on the scoreboard first in game one of the day, driving in a run on four-straight two out walks by sophomores Brandon Juarez (Evansville, Ind.), Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
VU would add to this early lead in the fourth after Newman led off the inning with a double and came in to score on a successful squeeze play sac bunt by Jace Parnin, giving him two early RBIs.
Spoon River would get a run back in the fifth before VU regained control of the game with a big five-run sixth inning.
Kade Hinton got the action on the base paths started with a single, the third of five times he would reach base safely in this game.
After walks by Parnin and sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.) loaded the bases, freshman Bradyn Douglas cleared the bases with a three-RBI single to put the Blazers ahead 5-1.
VU wasn’t done there though, after sophomore Blake Heyerly (Monroe, Ind.) reached on a hit by pitch, freshman Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) came through with a two-RBI single to give the Trailblazers a commanding 7-1 advantage.
Spoon River would answer back in the bottom half of the sixth with a pair of runs, however, this would be as close as the Snappers would get as VU added a pair of runs in the ninth on an RBI singles by Trevor Newman and Jace Parnin, giving Parnin three RBIs in the game.
Spoon River would get a base runner in the ninth but were unable to push a run across as the Trailblazers closed out game one and picked up the 9-3 victory.
Freshman Carson Allen got the start in game one for the Trailblazers and the freshman finished what he started, going all nine innings, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out three.
Allen was able to go the distance on the mound by being very efficient, throwing 15 or less pitches in eight of his nine innings, including retiring the side in the third inning on just three pitches.
VU looked to keep this momentum going into game two of the day and complete the daily doubleheader sweep, but unfortunately had to play from behind early after Spoon River scored two runs in the second.
Vincennes would get on the scoreboard in the fourth after back-to-back walks led off the inning by Blake Heyerly and Nate Montgomery.
Freshman Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) would drive in the first run of the game for the Trailblazers with an RBI single and later come around to score on a passed ball to even the score at 2-2.
Spoon River would regain the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Trailblazers continued to fight and took their first lead of the game in the sixth.
Nate Montgomery led off the sixth inning with a single, giving him two hits in the game and reaching base safely in all three plate appearances, followed by a pinch hit, hit by pitch by freshman Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.).
Kade Hinton put the Blazers on top for the first time in the game with a clutch three-run home run, his third career home run and first of the season.
Spoon River would get a run back in the bottom of the sixth to cut the VU lead to 5-4 before the Blazers added an insurance run in the seventh after Jack Robinson led off the inning with a walk, his third free pass of the game.
Robinson would come around to score on a pinch hit RBI single by sophomore Bryan Kohlmeyer (Paris, Ill.) to give the Blazers a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
Spoon River would battle back unfortunately, taking advantage of some walks and an error to come all the way back and pick up the walk-off victory 7-6 over the Blazers.
Freshman Kaleb Marrs (Terre Haute, Ind.) got the start in game two of the day for the Trailblazers, throwing five innings, allowing three runs, two earned on three hits and striking out three.
Freshman Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) got the call out of the bullpen for the final inning and one third, allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits and striking out two.
The Trailblazers will look to bounce back and close out the weekend strong in the final two games of this MWAC series tomorrow, Sunday, April 21 at Spoon River College. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.
