VanLannen throws five no-hit innings in weekend season opener at Cleveland State

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Vincennes sophomore Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) took the mound for Sunday’s game of the Trailblazers three-game weekend set with the Cougars of Cleveland State Community College and did not allow a hit in his five innings of work.

The Trailblazers were led by their starting pitching and got some big at-bats at the plate but were ultimately swept in the third-game series 7-4, 4-1, 6-5.

The weekend series began Saturday with a doubleheader and VU wasted little time at the plate, with leadoff hitter Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) beginning the season with a single.

Burdette would later score on a two RBI double by freshman Nick Williams (Alexandria, Ind.), giving VU the early 2-0 lead.

Sophomore Ryan Bartley (Tuscola, Ill.) had an RBI single in the fourth the brought home sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.) to increase the VU lead to 3-1.

Cleveland State would answer to grab the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run.

Vincennes evened the score in the fifth on a Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) RBI single that drove in Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.) but the Cougars responded with a run in the fifth and a two in the sixth to take game one 7-4.

Sophomore Braedon Nichols (Sullivan, Ind.) got the game one start and lasted 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and striking out two.

Sophomore Luke Osborn (Perryville, Ind.) pitching 2.1 innings of relief, giving up three runs on three hits, with one punch out.

The VU bats cooled off in game two Saturday, with the Blazers coming away with only three hits in the first four innings, including a pair of doubles by sophomore and Northern Kentucky signee Peyton Lane (New Paris, Ohio).

Lane would eventually drive in the Trailblazers only run of the game in the seventh on a sac fly that drove in freshman Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.)

Vincennes did get a really good pitching performance out of starter Kestler Harbuck (Brooksville, Fla.) who had a no-hitter through 3.2 innings. Harbuck was pulled from the game after giving up a pair of home runs, but only allowed two runs on two hits with five strikeouts.

Freshmen Eli Steimel (Sullivan, Ind.) and Dawson Blaylock (Eaton, Ohio) pitched the remaining 2.1 innings of relief. Combining to allow two runs on four hits with Steimel striking out two.

Game three Sunday began as a back-and-forth pitchers duel between VU’s Connor VanLannen and Cleveland State’s Bryce Jenkins.

Neither team had managed to score through the first five innings, with VanLannen not allowing a hit and only three Cougars to reach base.

Vincennes struck first in the sixth with back-to-back singles by Burdette and Long.

Kaden Elliott would later drive in a pair of runs on a single of his own and Kobe Bartlett gave Vincennes a 4-0 lead with an RBI double.

Cleveland State responded on their home field in the bottom half of the sixth, leading off the inning with a home run.

The Cougars would send 10 batter to the plate in the sixth and climb all the way back to take a 5-4 lead over the Trailblazers.

Vincennes would even the score in the eighth on a solo home run by Colton Evans but the Cougars would score in the bottom of the eighth and come away with the 6-5 win.

VanLannen ended his first game on the mound this season after throwing five innings, allowing no hits and striking out five.

Freshman Jake Stuteville (Rockport, Ind.) pitched well in relief, throwing 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.

“The biggest story of the weekend was our starters, who did a good job,” VU Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “We had a couple guys pitch well in relief. Another big story for us was our hitters swung the bats well against some tough quality pitching.”

“Our three starters were really big for us this weekend,” Barney added. “They have got to sustain that all year to keep us in the game and if they do that it gives us a chance to win a lot of games this year.”

“We were in all of the games and we just beat ourselves a little bit Saturday,” Barney said. “Today we struggled a little bit out of the bullpen. But our guys battled and fought in every game. We stuck with it and I told them after the game today if we can do that every game, then we will be fine.”

“Our situational hitting was the difference in the games yesterday. In game one we were 3 for 9 with runners in scoring position and in game two we were 0 for 7 with a sac fly and an RBI. That’s the difference in those games and that’s the difference between winning and having a 7-4 game where we did come up with three big hits, but we had other opportunities where we could have scored runs.”

“We expect big things out of our top of the lineup guys and they did this weekend. That’s what those guys are supposed to do, is step up and unfortunately we’ve got to step up a little bit more in key situations. But they were really good for us. We out hit Cleveland State in all three games and weren’t able to come away with a win. That doesn’t happen often.”

“We’ve got to play good defense. Cleveland State capitalized on our mistakes when we gave them an extra out or two in an inning. They really made us pay for it, so defense and hitting with runners in scoring position were the two big differences in the games yesterday.”