Trailblazers use big inning to walk-off win over D-III No. 7 Joliet Junior College

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team hit the diamond for another busy day of baseball Saturday at Jerry Blemker Field.

The Trailblazers kicked off their split doubleheader day by falling to Olney Central College 8-1 before bouncing back to close out the day with a big 12-2 win over NJCAA Division III No. 7-ranked Joliet Junior College.

VU's offense came alive with a big six run inning against Joliet, which helped propel the Blazers to a run-rule, walk-off victory.

Vincennes began their day with their eighth straight game versus an NJCAA Division I opponent, this time coming in the form of Olney Central College.

Early on Saturday afternoon the two pitchers were dueling, with each starting pitcher carrying a no-hitter into the fourth inning.

The Blue Knights were the first to break the scoreless tie, plating three runs in the fifth and adding on with four runs in the sixth to take a 7-0 lead.

Vincennes would respond in the sixth after a single by sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.), followed by a walk by sophomore Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

Robinson would come in to score on an RBI single by sophomore Brandon Juarez (Evansville, Ind.) cutting the deficit to 7-1.

Olney Central answered back in the top of the seventh with a run of their own before closing out the game by retiring the Blazers in order in the bottom half of the inning, giving Olney Central the 8-1 victory over VU.

Vincennes freshman Kaleb Marrs (Terre Haute, Ind.) got the start on the mound in game one for the Blazers and threw four and one-third very solid innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out four.

VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney then turned the game over to sophomore Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) who allowed four runs on two hits and striking out three in one and one-third innings of work.

Freshman Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) entered to close out the final inning and one-third, allowing one run on three hits and striking out one.

The Trailblazers then looked to bounce back and regroup ahead of another tough test in the night cap of the day, facing off against Joliet Junior College who comes into the weekend ranked No. 7 in NJCAA Division III baseball.

Vincennes set the tone early in game two of the day, leading off the bottom of the first with a double by freshman Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.), who later came around to score on a single by Kade Hinton and a fielding error to give the Blazers the early 1-0 lead.

The Trailblazers added to this lead in the second with the first four batters in the inning reaching base and back-to-back singles by sophomores Dylan Ecken (Louisville, Ky.) and Bryton Griffy (Louisville, Ill.), followed by a walk to Bryce Gross and a bases loaded walk by Douglas.

Griffy and Gross would come in to score on a fielder's choice put in play by Kade Hinton, with Gross scoring on another fielding error by the Wolves, extending VU's lead to 4-0 after two innings.

Joliet would get on the board in the third, scoring two before VU blew the game open in the fourth with a big six run inning.

Vincennes had a streak of five batters reaching base safely in the fourth inning, led by a single by Douglas, Robinson and freshman Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.), with Hinton reaching base on an error and Juarez drawing a walk in the inning.

The streak was only broken by a successful sacrifice bunt by sophomore Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.) which helped set up a big two-out two-RBI single by Dylan Ecken.

Ecken would close out the scoring in the inning by the Blazers by being driven in on an RBI single by Bryce Gross, giving Vincennes a commanding 10-2 advantage.

After keeping the Wolves scoreless in the fifth and sixth the Blazers looked to put the game away for good in the sixth with Ecken reaching base for the fourth time in the game with a leadoff walk, followed by walks by Gross and Douglas, the third time Gross reached base and fourth for Douglas on the game.

The Trailblazers then called it a night with a fielding error put in play by Jack Robinson allowing Ecken and Gross to score, giving the Blazers the 12-2 run-rule victory over Joliet.

Vincennes had to adapt to changes in the starting rotation this weekend, which allowed sophomore Jace Parnin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to take the ball and start game two of the day.

Parnin pitched very well for the Blazers in his spot start role, throwing two and one-third innings, allowing two runs on three hits and setting a new career-high with five strikeouts on the night.

Parnin then turned the game over to redshirt freshman Holden Clifton (Louisville, Ill.). Clifton picked right up with Parnin left off, throwing two and two-third innings in just his third collegiate pitching appearance, allowing one hit and striking out six, including striking out the side in order in the fourth on just 11 pitches.

Freshman JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) was then called on to pitch the sixth, facing four batters in a hitless inning and striking out two.

The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going when the Blazers return to Jerry Blemker Field to close out the weekend Sunday, Feb. 25 in a rematch against Morton College. First pitch Sunday is set for 1:30 p.m. eastern.

Scheduled dates and times for all VU baseball games are subject to change. Be sure to follow 'Vincennes University Athletics' on Facebook, X, or Instagram to stay up to date on any and all VU baseball schedule changes.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Olney Central – 000    034   1 – 8

VU (1-7) – 000   001   0 – 1

VINCENNES HITTING

RBI – Juarez. HBP – Whitehead. SB – Parnin.

GAME TWO

Joliet – 002   000 – 2

VU (2-7) – 130   602 – 12

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Douglas. RBI – Ecken 2, Montgomery, Douglas. Sac Bunt – Newman. SB – Ecken, Gross.