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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Close MWAC Play with Split Against John Wood

Trailblazers Close MWAC Play with Split Against John Wood
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April 26, 2026

VINCENNES, Ind. — Vincennes University Baseball closed out Midwest Athletic Conference play with a split against John Wood Community College Saturday and Sunday at Jerry Blemker Field. The Trailblazers move to 19-34 overall and finish 12-20 in Region 24/MWAC play.

"It was an up-and-down weekend, but I'm proud of the way our guys competed and found a way to finish strong," 18th-year Head Coach Chris Barney said. "We showed flashes in all three phases, and now it's about putting that together consistently as we head into the postseason."

Game One — Vincennes 2, John Wood 1

VU opened the series with a tightly contested 2–1 victory, using late execution to secure the win. The Trailblazers scored in the first inning to take an early lead before John Wood tied the game in the sixth. VU answered in the eighth, capitalizing on a key solo home run by freshman Matthew Everroad to regain the lead and close it out.

Everroad led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, delivering the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Freshman Ethan Papalios went 2-for-4 with two doubles, while freshman Carson Reed went 2-for-4 with a double. Sophomore Evan Doran went 1-for-4, and freshman Lucas Frack and sophomore Jevan Andrews each added a hit.

On the mound, freshman Kaagen Kendall delivered a strong start, allowing one unearned run over 7.1 innings. Sophomore Alex Wandersee (1-3) earned the win in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings.

"Outstanding game by both teams and a quality start from Kaagen," Barney said. "We were excited to grab the first win of the series."

Game Two — John Wood 13, Vincennes 4

John Wood responded in game two, pulling away for a 13–4 win after a decisive fourth inning. VU battled early, tying the game at 3–3 through two innings, but John Wood broke it open with six runs in the fourth and added insurance late.

Freshman Matthew Everroad went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, while sophomore Carter Gricius went 2-for-3. Freshman Ethan Papalios added a hit, going 1-for-3, and sophomore Jevan Andrews went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Freshman Talan Meyers (3-4) took the loss after allowing six runs over three innings, with sophomore Grayson Reichert, freshman Carter Williams, and freshman Parker Clarida working in relief.

"We didn't respond well and needed to be better both offensively and defensively," Barney added.

Game Three — John Wood 14, Vincennes 2

John Wood carried its momentum into Sunday's opener, defeating VU 14–2. The Trailblazers scored once in the third and once in the fifth but were unable to keep pace as John Wood scored in six of the seven innings.

Freshman Carson Reed went 1-for-4 with a home run, while freshman Ethan Papalios went 2-for-4 with a double. Freshman Matthew Everroad went 1-for-2 with two walks, and freshman Dillon Warnick went 2-for-3. Freshman Braden Casebier and sophomore Jevan Andrews each added a hit.

Freshman Elijah Papalios (2-1) took the loss after allowing five runs over two innings, with freshman Tyler Singleton, freshman Jackson Bauer, and freshman Brody Wenzler combining in relief.

"It all starts on the mound, and we came up short there," Barney said. "We had multiple opportunities with runners in scoring position and two outs but didn't come up with a timely hit."

Game Four — Vincennes 6, John Wood 4

VU closed the MWAC regular season with a 6–4 win, using timely hitting and strong pitching late. After falling behind early, the Trailblazers answered with runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to build a lead. John Wood stayed within striking distance, tying the game in the sixth inning, but VU broke open the tie with two runs in the eighth inning and held on behind a strong bullpen effort.

Freshman Dillon Warnick led the offense, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Freshman Carson Reed went 2-for-5, while freshman Ethan Papalios went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Freshman Matthew Everroad added a 2-for-5 performance with an RBI. Freshman Ryan Crawford went 1-for-4 with an RBI, and freshman Braden Casebier added a hit and an RBI as five different Trailblazers drove in runs.

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Allen gave the Trailblazers 5.2 innings, keeping the visitors at bay. Freshman Drake Hoffa (2-2) earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings, and freshman Palmer Schiff recorded the save with a scoreless ninth.

"Nice bounce-back win to close the weekend," Barney said. "We got a strong start from Jacob Allen, and Hoffa and Schiff were outstanding in relief. It was a good team win with contributions throughout the lineup."

As VU awaits final seeding for the upcoming Region 24 tournament, as other conference teams complete their schedules next weekend, the Trailblazers will return to action April 28 with a non-conference road game at Frontier Community College. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. EST.

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