MT. CARMEL, ILL. – Wabash Valley scored six runs in the first inning, and cruised to a 12-1 Region 24 victory over Vincennes on Wednesday.
The No. 1-ranked Warriors added three runs in the second inning, one in the third, and two more in the sixth to complete the rout.
Zack Robinson (1-0) did his part on the mound. The starter threw three innings of one-hit ball, while walking one batter and striking out two. Robinson was followed to the hill five others, and collectively allowed VU just two more hits on the day.
In the decisive first, Trailblazer starter Cody Swimm walked the bases full with only one out. Freylin Mineyty then lined a single to left field, scoring all three baserunners. Two batters later, Ole Arntson added a two-run single to center to make it 5-0, and Adisyn Coffey hit a sacrifice fly that scored the last run of the frame.
Both Mineyty and Arntson would return to the spotlight later in the game. Arntson clubbed a two-run homer in the second inning, his third shot of the year. And Arntson hit his second homer of the season, a solo blast, in the sixth.
On the day, the Warriors outhit Vincennes (7-5), 15-3.
Wabash Valley (12-2) is on the road Thursday opening the 27-game Great Rivers Athletic Conference season at Southwestern. The two teams will flip sites and complete the three-game series with a doubleheader at Kieffer Development Field in Mt. Carmel on Saturday. The first pitch is at noon.