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Gricius series finale walk off gives Vincennes series split
Gricius series finale walk off gives Vincennes series split
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team closed out their Mid-West Athletic Conference weekend series Saturday morning against Lewis & Clark Community College in the annual ‘Battle of the Trailblazers’.
The day did not get off to a great start for VU with Lewis & Clark taking game one 10-4 before Vincennes closed out the weekend strong with a big 11-1 victory in game two.
Lewis & Clark opened the morning in game one of the day plating one run in the first to take an early 1-0 lead over VU.
Vincennes would respond and get on the scoreboard in the second after a single by sophomore Damon Kay (Spencer, Ind.) and an RBI double by freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.).
Gricius would move up to third on a passed ball and later score on a groundout put in play by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) to give the Blazers their first lead of the day at 2-1.
Lewis & Clark would even the score back at 2-2 with a run in the third and take the lead back with three runs in the fourth to hold a 5-2 edge.
Lewis & Clark broke the game open in the sixth with five runs to increase their lead to 10-2.
Vincennes would continue to battle late in game one, getting a lead off solo home run by Carter Gricius in the sixth and back-to-back doubles by freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.) and sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) in the seventh.
This would be as close as the Blazers would get however as Lewis & Clark closed out the 10-4 victory in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Sophomore Colton Okes (Evansville, Ind.) got the start on the mound for Vincennes in game one of the day, throwing three-plus innings, allowing three runs, one earned on two hits and striking out one.
Freshman Jacob Allen (Vincennes, Ind.) was the first out of the pen for Vincennes, allowing two runs on one hit in one-third of an inning.
Sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) pitched two and two-thirds innings of relief for VU, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three.
Freshman Kyle Holder (Mount Vernon, Ind.) pitched the seventh inning for the Trailblazers, allowing two hits in an inning on the mound.
“Colton Okes gave us a chance,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “We’ve got to swing better earlier in the game. I did something that I haven’t asked Bryce Gross to do all year which is throw 40 to 50 pitches for us and I left him in there thinking we’ve got a chance and they caught up to it. I’m going to wear that one but we’ve still got to play better all the way around, defensively and offensively when we get a chance to do that.”
The Trailblazers looked to bounce back and close out the weekend strong in game two of the day and were able to break the game open early with a monster seven-run second inning.
VU got the inning started with a lead off walk by Carter Gricius. Bryce Gross followed him by reaching on a fielder’s choice and Vincennes got on the board with an RBI single by Yancey Edlin.
Gross came around to score the second run of the inning on a double steal with Edlin before Edlin scored on an RBI single by freshman Evan Doran (Indianapolis, Ind.).
Sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) kept the inning going with an RBI single, with Doran coming around to score on a fielding error to put the Blazers ahead 5-0.
Carter Gricius would cap off the Vincennes scoring in the inning with a big two-RBI single to give the Trailblazers an early 7-0 lead over Lewis & Clark.
Lewis & Clark would get a run on the board in the fourth, with Vincennes immediately responded in a big way in the bottom of the fourth.
VU opened the fourth inning with back-to-back singles by Nate Montgomery and Carter Gricius, before sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) launched a big three-run home run, his first of the season and second home run of his VU career, to move the Vincennes lead to 10-1.
After holding Lewis & Clark scoreless in the fifth the Trailblazers came to bat needing one run to end the game early.
Bradyn Douglas led off the inning with a walk and later moved into scoring position with a stolen base.
Carter Gricius kept his hot bat going, coming through for the Trailblazers with a two-out walk-off RBI double to end the game and give Vincennes the 11-1 series finale victory over Lewis & Clark.
In the two games combined Saturday, Gricius was an outstanding five for six at the plate, with two doubles, a home run, five RBIs and four runs scored.
VU’s game two starter, freshman Grayson Reichert (Shepherdsville, Ky.) also had a big day on the mound, throwing a five inning complete game, allowing one unearned run on just one hit and striking out two.
Reichert was very efficient on the mound right from the start, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced on just 28 pitches in the first three innings, going through three innings without allowing a hit.
“It all starts on the mound today with Grayson Reichert,” Barney added. “I thought guys had some big games at the plate. Carter Gricius had three RBIs and the walk off RBI. Obviously Napier hits a three run home run. RBIs by Edlin and Doran. Doran barreled one up and went two for three and an RBI by Douglas. So some things went really well swinging the bats all the way through. It was multiple guys stepping up and doing things for us. That’s what it’s going to take for us to be successful as we continue to play through the conference schedule.”
The Trailblazers will look to keep this positive momentum going as VU gets set to hit the road next week to face Olney Central College Wednesday, March 19 at 3 p.m. eastern in Olney, Ill.
VU will then be on the road Saturday, March 22 for the first two games of their weekend MWAC series with Parkland College in Champaign, Ill. First pitch Saturday is set for 1 p.m. eastern.
The series will then shift to Jerry Blemker Field in Vincennes for the final two games of the weekend slate Sunday, March 23 with first pitch Sunday scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.
“Hopefully we can start putting consecutive better games back to back instead of playing really well in one and struggling in another,” Barney said. “Our pitchers have got to learn how to step up, throw shut down innings after we score and obviously our hitters have to put hits together back to back to back and push some runs across to make it a little bit easier for us.”
“We had some opportunities on the weekend to do some things and missed,” Barney added. “In the games that we won, we didn’t miss on those opportunities. We were able to take advantage of a lot of mistakes and guys really stepped up.”
BOX SCORE
GAME ONE
Lewis & Clark – 101 305 0 – 10
VU (9-12, 1-6) – 020 001 1 – 4
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Andrews 2, Gricius, Montgomery. HR – Gricius. RBI – Gricius 2, Montgomery, Edlin. HBP – Johnson.
GAME TWO
Lewis & Clark – 000 10 – 1
VU (10-12, 2-6) – 070 31 – 11
VINCENNES HITTING
2B – Gricius. HR – Napier. RBI – Gricius 3, Napier 3, Edlin, Doran, Douglas. HBP – Fessel, Napier, Montgomery. SB – Douglas, Gross, Montgomery, Edlin.
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The Vincennes University baseball team improves to 10-12 on the season, with a 2-6 record in MWAC Conference play.
Aces golf completes match against USI
Aces golf completes match against USI
Screaming Eagles take the win in playoff
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Friday’s match pitting the University of Evansville golf teams against USI saw the Screaming Eagles win in a playoff.
Full results are below:
Bannister (USI) defeated Andres Rodriguez (UE) 2&1
Kate Petrova and Mallory Russell (UE) defeated Luthy and Ready (USI) 8&6
Vertanen and Boone (USI) defeated Masatoyo Kato and Mason Taylor 4&2
Louise Standtke and Elizabeth Mercer (UE) defeated Navato and Kirsch (USI) 2&1
Omar Khalid and Julian Kiessling (UE) defeated Goebel and Worthington (USI) 3&2
Vera and Blakeley (USI) defeated Destynie Sheridan and Jane Grankina (UE) 2&1
Luke Schneider and Miguel Sobrado (UE) defeated Reynolds and Peck (USI) 2&1
Schneider and Wymer (USI) defeated Izzy Steele and Trinity Dubbs (UE) 1 up
Daniil Romashkin and Jamison Ousley (UE) halved Ornelas and Bauschek (USI)
Playoff
Hole one Andres Rodriguez and Kate Petrova (UE) halved Bannister and Vera (USI)
Hole two Daniil Romashkin and Mallory Russell (UE) halved Vertanen and Schneider (USI)
Hole three Goebel and Wymer (USI) defeated Omar Khalid and Loiuse Standtke (UE)
The Purple Aces women return to action on Monday at the Nevel Meade Collegiate while the men are back on the course for the Don Benbow Butler Invitational on March 31.
THUNDERBOLTS SPLIT WEEKEND SERIES AT FAYETTEVILLE
BREAKING NEWS Possible Tornado Damage in Gibson County
The early morning storms that hit the area caused significant damage in Oakland City and Francisco and officials believe it was from a tornado.
Gibson County Sheriff Bruce Vanoven said that they have set up a perimeter around Oakland City, and they are only allowing emergency vehicles and locals through.
Officials urge people to avoid the storm-damaged areas.
This is a developing story.
Groundbreaking for New Airport Terminal in Huntingburg
Dubois County officials gathered Friday morning to break ground on a new addition coming to the Huntingburg Regional Airport. The event marked the official start of construction on the new Frosty Jones Terminal.
Mark Messmer, 8th District Congressman, talked about the man whom the terminal is being named after. “Frosty Jones was a revered figure in the aviation community,” Messmer told the crowd. “Jones bought the land and started the airport as a grass airstrip in 1938.”
Dubois County’s most famous resident, Indiana Governor Mike Braun, was among the dignitaries to turn a shovel. He spoke about the airport’s growth, including lengthening the runway to 5,501 feet and building the first tunnel at a public airport in Indiana.
Training programs will be integrated into the facility through a partnership with the Patoka Valley Career Technical Education Center.
Jim Redwine GAVEL GAMUT – Spring Humbug
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 17 March 2025)
SPRING, HUMBUG
James Taylor wrote Sweet Baby James in 1970:
“There’s a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
Song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me”
If you side with those who dream of a home in the sky, paradise was populated by Adam
and Eve. Their Garden of Eden was perfect but that did not stop Eve from trying to improve it.
You know, kind of like some wives when spring arrives. Say my wife, Peg, for example. I can imagine the conversation between Adam and Eve.
“Adam, isn’t this idyllic? Everything is just perfect. However, that one tree needs its fruit
plucked. Would you mind just keeping an eye on that serpent while you are lounging around doing nothing?”
It is theoretically possible that was the beginning of humanity’s Rite of Spring where
husbands are cast out of their dens by their wives who are intoxicated from the sight of emerging buds, the feel of damp earth and the smell of humas. I am reminded of Peg’s need to transform our perfect new home with paint and flower beds. Spring should be re-named the season of restless wives and “Honey, could you?” Where in the Constitution is it provided that it is illegal, or at least, unpolitic, for husbands to prop up their feet while waiting for a fish to make a mistake?
What estrogen fueled behavior is it that prevents wives from allowing winter to gently
and slowly thaw its way to autumn and football season? Or as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady asked, “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” My guess is that Dr. Louis Leakey only found Lucy and not her mate in Olduvai Gorge because she had her husband off performing some springtime chore. Nothing has changed in a few hundred thousand years.
Now, it may not be that the female response to spring is responsible for all the world’s
troubles but I think it goes without question that Peg’s incessant activities both in our cabin and our yard interfere with my desire to fish our pond and watch Gunsmoke reruns. I will leave it to you, Gentle Reader, at least those of you of the testosterone persuasion, what else could it be?
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
B 29 Bomber Coming Back to Evansville
The historic Boeing B-29 Superfortress “Doc” will be landing in Evansville later this spring.
Organizers say it is one of only two remaining airworthy B-29 Superfortresses worldwide and is one of 1,644 B-29 bombers built in Wichita during World War II.
Officials say Doc will be available for ground and cockpit tours at the Evansville Wartime Museum, as well as rides during its short stay in the Tri-State.
“We’re thrilled to bring the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour to the Evansville Wartime Museum,” said Mark Novak, B-29 DOC chief pilot. “Evansville has a rich history of wartime aircraft production, and this stop is a perfect opportunity to honor the legacy of those who built and flew these incredible machines. We look forward to sharing the sights, sounds, and history of this legendary bomber with the community.”
Doc is expected to arrive on Thursday, May 8, and will be available for tours Friday morning at 10 a.m.
Rides will be available that weekend on Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. both days, followed by ground and cockpit tours from 12:30 to 5 p.m., May 10 and 11.
Organizers say attendees must buy a museum admission ticket, plus an additional $5 per person for access to B-29 DOC during the event.
You can purchase your ticket at www.b29doc.com.
Wendy McNamara Urges You to Volunteer for CASA
In Indiana, the law states any abused or neglected child be represented by a Court Appointed Special Advocate, who looks after the child’s best interest while they are in the juvenile court system and foster care.
These volunteers play a vital role in ensuring these children are cared for and can find a safe and loving forever home as quickly as possible. There are hundreds of these children in Vanderburgh County, and we need more volunteers to help them.
Volunteers must be 21 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, a clean criminal history and pass a screening with CASA staff. Volunteers help by researching each child’s case and conducting assessments, and then communicating with them during court hearings to ensure the child’s best interests are looked after.
Vanderburgh County CASA will host its “Become a Child’s Champion” event in Evansville on March 13, where anyone interested can learn more about becoming an advocate and how they can help those waiting for a forever home.
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Help Patients in Need as a Red Cross Volunteer
- Blood donor ambassadors: Engage with blood donors by greeting them at blood drives, helping them register, answering questions, providing information and assisting them at the refreshments table. Shifts are typically five to six hours and people can volunteer on a regular basis or as their schedule allows.
- Blood transportation specialists: Volunteer transportation specialists support hospital patients by delivering blood from our facilities to local hospitals for on-demand, or ‘stat’, shifts which do not have a minimum time commitment. Volunteers can schedule their availability using a mobile app and will receive notifications for on-demand deliveries when hospitals need blood delivered within a 30-minute timeframe. Volunteers must be at least 18 and have a valid driver’s license as well as be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its chapters: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @indianaredcross. LinkedIn: American Red Cross of Indiana.