UNION, Mo. – The 2025 Region 24 B Champion Vincennes University baseball team opened Central District play Thursday afternoon at East Central College in Union, Mo.
The Trailblazers faced a tough early test against host East Central College but were able to ride a series of two-out rallies to pick up the big 12-6 opening round win over the host Falcons.
Vincennes opened the tournament with a bang in the first inning with VU sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) reaching on a single on the very first pitch of the game.
After a pair of outs, the Blazers would get extra life in the first inning after a throwing error allowed Douglas to score the first run of the game.
Sophomores Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.) continued the inning with an RBI single by Napier and a two-RBI double by Johnson.
Sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) closed out the scoring in the inning with an RBI single to put the Trailblazers on top early 5-0 over the Falcons.
East Central would get their offense going later in the game, connecting on back-to-back home runs to climb all the way back and take their first lead of the day at 6-5 heading to the fifth inning.
Vincennes would even the score again in the fifth starting with a two-out double by Corbin Napier, his third of four hits in the game, followed by a single by freshman Evan Doran (Indianapolis, Ind.) who finish the game with three hits and an RBI single by Noble Johnson to score Napier and even the game at 6-6.
The Trailblazers regained the lead in the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Bradyn Douglas and freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.), followed by an RBI single by freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.).
The inning continued with an RBI double by Corbin Napier, giving Vincennes the 10-6 lead with four runs on the inning, three of which coming with two outs.
Vincennes would keep applying pressure on the base paths in the later innings, adding a run to their lead in the seventh on a double steal that allowed Douglas to score his third run of the game and a run in the eighth on an RBI single by Noble Johnson, giving him three hits and an outstanding five RBIs in the game.
The Trailblazers would hold the Falcons offense off the board down the stretch as the VU pitchers finished out the final five innings of work allowing just four base runners as the Blazers closed out a strong opening round 12-6 victory over East Central College.
“We got after them early,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “They battled, you have to take your hats off to East Central. They battled back and took the lead. Carson Allen gave us a chance, pitching five strong innings. Jacob Allen comes in in relief and then we break it back open with a four spot and adding a couple more runs.”
“Offensively, you have to look at Noble Johnson with five RBIs today,” Barney added. “Corbin Napier had four hits and two RBIs, along with Jevan Andrews who had an RBI double and Douglas setting the tone getting on base in the first, setting up four two-out hits later in the inning that allowed us to score five runs. Putting all of that together and playing good defense we were able to come away with the victory.”
Sophomore Carson Allen (Louisville, Ky.) got the start on the mound for the Blazers Thursday, throwing five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and striking out six.
Allen began the game by retiring the first six batters he faced.
The Trailblazers then turned to freshman Jacob Allen (Vincennes, Ind.) who came in and had a very strong outing, allowing just one hit in four shutout innings, striking out six and only facing two batters over the minimum.
