VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University game one starter sophomore Connor VanLannen (Clinton, Ind.) pitched a gem of a game Friday afternoon, pitching four and two-thirds innings of no-hit baseball to help Vincennes earn a Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) doubleheader split, taking game one 11-3 and dropping game two 5-4.
Vincennes got the scoring started early in game one of the day, with leadoff hitter freshman Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) reaching on a bunt single and advancing to second on a throwing error.
Burdette would later score the first run of the game on a double steal attempt.
VU would grow their lead in the second with Burdette driving in freshman Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.) on a fielder’s choice and Dale Coy came through with an RBI double in the third as VU held a 3-0 lead.
The scoring picked up for Vincennes with the Trailblazers scoring two runs per inning throughout the middle innings with freshman Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.) hitting an RBI triple in the fourth and Elliott scoring two on a two-RBI double in the sixth as Vincennes built a commanding 9-0 lead.
The Cougars would get on the scoreboard in the seventh, scoring three and cutting the deficit to six, before Vincennes answered back with an RBI double by Connor VanLannen and a walk-off RBI single by Elliott to give the Blazers the run-rule win 11-3 in seven innings.
Connor VanLannen took the mound in game one and looked to get himself back on track in a big way, throwing six and one-third innings, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out seven.
VanLannen made it two times around the Illinois Central batting order before the Cougars could record their first hit of the game with two outs in the fifth inning.
Freshman Caleb Moore (Wentzville, Mo.) entered the game from the bullpen to record the final two outs of the seventh inning, allowing one hit and striking out one in the process.
Vincennes had six batters record multiple hits in game one, with freshman Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.), Connor VanLannen and Kaden Elliott each recording three hits, with Evans and VanLannen hitting a pair of doubles.
Kaden Elliott picked up a three for five day at the dish, with three RBI’s and two runs scored in game one.
“Connor VanLannen did a great job for us, along with the lower half of the order in the first game,†VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “We had multiple hits from the guys five through nine in the order. Overall game one was just a good day.â€
Vincennes looked to carry this momentum into the second game of the day and the Trailblazers were again the first team to score, this time with a big two-run home run by freshman Mahkai Pelzer (Douglasville, Ga.) in the second inning.
The two teams traded runs in the third, with Colton Evans scoring for the Trailblazers on a balk, as Vincennes held a 3-1 lead.
