ALTON, Ill. – VU sophomore center fielder Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.) broke a 7-7 tie in game four of Vincennes’ four-game Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series at Lewis & Clark with a solo home run in the eighth inning to help give VU a 9-7 win to close out the series.
Vincennes fell in the first game of the day 5-0 before battling back to take game two 9-7 and coming home with a 2-2 series split.
Lewis & Clark wasted little time in game one of the day, scoring three runs in the first and adding another run in the second to take a 4-0 early lead.
The VU batters had a hard time figuring out the Lewis & Clark pitching all game, with Vincennes only able to get two hits through six innings.
Lewis & Clark would add an additional run in the fourth and hold on to close out the 5-0 win.
Vincennes sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.) finished with two of VU’s three hits on the day, leading off the second and seventh innings with a single.
Freshman Cauy Motsinger (Salem, Ind.) got the start on the mound in game one Monday afternoon, throwing two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits and striking out two.
Freshman Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) put together a good game out of the bullpen, lasting four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out one.
Freshman Caleb Moore (Wentzville, Mo.) closed out the game on the mound for VU, lasting an inning and a third while surrendering only one hit and striking out one.
“Lewis & Clark’s pitcher did a great job in game one today,†VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “It’s the second time all year that we’ve been shut out, so you have to tip your hat to their guy. We have to make some adjustments at the plate. We allowed them an opportunity to get ahead early and that took a little pressure off of their pitcher and he responded and did a great job for them.â€
“We tried to battle back. I thought Blaylock and Moore threw pretty well,†Barney added. “Motsinger struggled a little bit at the start and Blaylock came in and threw four innings and Moore closed out the last 1.1 innings and both those guys threw really well.â€
The visiting Trailblazers looked to bounce back and come away with a four-game split in game two of the day, as the host Trailblazers again were first on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the first.
Vincennes answered back in the third as the bats came alive in a big way, beginning the inning with seven straight hits, including RBI singles by Colin Long, freshman Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.), sophomore Peyton Lane (New Paris, Ohio) and Dale Coy and a two-RBI double by Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) as Vincennes answered back to take a 6-2 lead.
Lewis & Clark responded to tie the game in the fifth with four runs.
