VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazer baseball team closed out their weekend Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series with Illinois Central College Saturday afternoon at Jerry Blemker Field.

Vincennes took game one of the day after falling behind 10-4 in the sixth inning before rallying back to win 11-10. ICC took game two of the day to close out the weekend 9-1.

Illinois Central grabbed the momentum early to begin game one, scoring four runs in the first inning.

Vincennes would respond back in the third with a four-run inning of their own, with freshman Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.) coming through with an RBI single and sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.) getting a two-RBI single.

The Cougars would grab the lead back with a run in the fourth, four runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth to take a 10-4 lead over the Trailblazers.

Vincennes launched a late-innings comeback, kicked off by a double by freshman Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.) to begin the sixth.

Sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.) drove in a run on a ground out, before sophomores Peyton Lane (New Paris, Ohio), Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) and Dale Coy each came through with RBI doubles.

Freshman Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) closed out the scoring in the sixth with an RBI single to make it a one-run game.

After a scoreless top of the inning by sophomore Luke Osborn (Perrysville, Ind.), Vincennes got back to work at the plate, with freshman Ethan Burdette leading off the inning with a double. His fourth hit of the game.

Burdette would tie the game at 10-10 on an RBI single by Peyton Lane and after a fielding error and an intentional walk, Dale Coy stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

Coy came through in the clutch, hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly to score Lane and give the Trailblazers the 11-10 win.

Freshman Nick Kapostasy (Cincinnati, Ohio) got the start on the mound for the Blazers, throwing an inning and a third, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out three.

Freshman Cauy Motsinger (Salem, Ind.) was the first out of the pen and threw two solid innings on the mound, surrendering one run on one hit and striking out five batters.

Sophomore Josiah Sizemore (Cambridge City, Ind.) notched a pair of punch outs in two-thirds of an inning, while sophomores Braedon Nichols (Sullivan, Ind.) and Luke Osborn each struck out one batter.

Freshman Eli Steimel (Sullivan, Ind.) pitched a hitless inning as well for the Trailblazers.

“Defensively, in the first game, obviously we gave them a ton of outs that had to be made on fly balls that just didn’t get caught,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “That allowed them to jump out in front and take advantage and do some damage. Credit to our guys, they battled their butts off and came back and got a win out of that deal.”

“Our guys did a great job of battling at the plate and guys did what they were capable of,” Barney added. “Burdette got one or two bunt hits and he is swinging the bat extremely well. Peyton had a good game and Dale has had a solid performance this weekend. He came up and stepped up with a walk-off sac fly in the seventh.”

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball swept a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader from visiting Maryville University Saturday afternoon, claiming a 5-1 victory in the opener before rallying for a 5-3 win in game two.

The No. 17 Screaming Eagles (34-10, 20-2 GLVC) maintain their one-game lead over No. 3 University of Indianapolis for first place in the GLVC, while they open a two-game lead in the loss column over third-place Lindenwood University.

Senior designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) had a two-run double in the bottom of the third inning of game one to put the Eagles up, 3-1. USI tacked on another run when sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and another when senior third baseman Mary Bean (Schaumburg, Illinois) scored after being caught in a run down.

Junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) pushed across the Eagles’ first tally on a successful suicide squeeze play in the first, but the Saints scored in the top of the second to even the score.

Goodin (8-2) earned the complete-game victory after giving up just one run off five hits. She finished with four strikeouts and did not issue a walk in the win.

USI, once again, struck first in game two as Fair had an RBI-double to put the Eagles up, 1-0, in the third before coming around to score two batters later on an RBI-single by sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana).

Maryville (15-22, 10-14 GLVC), however, answered the Eagles’ tallies with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Saints took advantage of an error and some timely hits to take a 3-2 lead.

The Eagles responded in the fifth with three runs as junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) pushed a run across the board to tie the contest at 3-3. Junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) followed with an RBI-single to give USI the lead, while freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) gave the Eagles a two-run cushion with a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat.

Newman (12-3) earned the win for the Eagles after giving up three runs, one earned, off two hits. Newman, who had nine strikeouts, retired the first nine batters she faced before giving up both hits and hitting a batter in the three-run fourth inning. She bounced back by retiring the final 10 batters she faced en route to the complete-game win.

USI finishes its 2022 regular-season home schedule Sunday at noon when it hosts Missouri University of Science & Technology for Senior Day. The Eagles will honor their six seniors—Back, Bean, pitcher Elissa Brown (Brownsburg, Indiana), outfielder Mikaela Domico (Naperville, Illinois), pitcher Maddie Duncan (Lynnville, Indiana) and catcher Courtney Schoolcraft (Crest Hill, Illinois)—following Sunday’s games.

The Miners (21-23, 9-13 GLVC) are coming off a pair of losses to UIndy Saturday in Indianapolis.

Notes:

USI finishes 13th out of 13 teams

UE looks to take the series on Sunday

 PEORIA, Ill. – After opening the day with a 10-1 loss, the University of Evansville softball team regrouped in a big way to split Saturday’s doubleheader with a 7-3 win over Bradley in game two at Petersen Hotels Field.

 

Game One – Bradley 10, UE 1

A 6-run first inning lifted Bradley to a 10-1 win in Saturday’s opener.  Keeler van Breusegen and Jordy van def Werf each recorded 2-RBI hits in the inning.  The Braves added a single run in the second and three more in the third to make it a 10-0 contest.

Each of the three hits for the Purple Aces came consecutively in the fourth inning.  With one out, Mackenzie McFeron tripled before scoring on a single by Marah Wood.  Jenna Lis also added a single in the frame.  From there, the Braves remained in control to finish with the 10-1 win.  Grace French picked up the win for the Braves while Izzy Vetter took the loss.

Game Two – UE 7, Bradley 3

After scoring just one run in the opening contest, Evansville stormed out to a 3-0 lead before an out was even recorded in the first.  Mackenzie McFeron led the game off with a single while Alexa Davis followed with a walk.  Marah Wood tripled off of the right field wall to score McFeron and Davis.  Alyssa Barela added a sacrifice bunt to solidify a 3-0 UE lead in the opening frame.

Single runs in the second and third got the Braves within one run before the Aces broke it open in a big way in the fourth.  UE plated four runs, all with two outs, to make it a 7-2 game.  Alexa Davis hit a bases-clearing triple before stealing home to cap off the inning.  The Braves tacked on a run in the sixth, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit and UE wrapped up its 22^nd win of the year.

Evansville had six hits from six different players in the contest.  Davis had three RBI while Wood had two.  McFeron and Davis each scored twice.  Sydney Weatherford won her 7^th game of the season.  She gave up three runs on nine hits in the complete game.  Just one of the three runs was earned.

The rubber match in the series is set for Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m

NDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Tennis (7-10, 0-6 GLVC) ended the regular season and Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule on the road this weekend after falling to Lewis University and University of Indianapolis, 7-0, in each contest.
 
USI vs LEWIS
DOUBLES: The Screaming Eagles recorded just one win in the entire match after freshman Abby Myers (Evansville, Indiana)/senior Kylie Skepnek (Algonquin, Illinois) duo captured a 7-6 (8-6) tie-breaker victory.

SINGLES: USI did not record a singles victory as the Flyers come up victorious.
 
USI vs UINDY
DOUBLES: The Greyhounds took advantage of home court and took all three doubles matches.

SINGLES: USI could not muster a win in singles competition.