Blinn sweeps double-header over Frank Phillips in home opener
Buccaneers win opener in blowout and outlast Frank Phillips in pitcher’s duel in second game
BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College baseball had two very distinct games in its home opening double-header but was able to beat Frank Phillips College in both by the score 10-3 and 3-2 Friday evening at Leroy Dreyer Ballpark in Brenham.
Buccaneers earned their first sweep of a double-header to boost their overall record to 3-3. Blinn is currently riding a three-game winning streak.
“I thought we played great in all three phases of the game in the opener,” said Blinn coach Harvey McIntyre. “Frank Phillips played much better in the second game but Beau O’Hara was phenomenal on the mound.”
Blinn 10 – Frank Phillips 3
Offense flowed early and often for Blinn in the opening game with six runs coming in the first inning. Austen Swift, Elijah MacNamee, Angel De La Fuente, Sam McElreath and Walker Winders each had two runs batted in to fuel the offense.
Blaine Suehs started the first game and pitched five innings and only allowed one run on three hits while striking out five to get the win. Dakota Brewton came in to pitch the final two innings and only allowed two runs while striking out one.
Frank Phillips scored first in the top of the first inning but Blinn did not trail for long. Jay Anderson got it started when he was hit by a pitch and Swift followed with a walk. MacNamee was able to give the Buccaneers a 2-1 lead with a double to right.
The scoring didn’t stop there for Blinn in the first as De La Fuente knocked in a pair with a single to left for a 4-1 lead. Winders capped the scoring in the first with a two-run double to left for a 6-1 lead after one. Swift added to the scoring in the second inning with a solo home run to right for a 7-1 advantage.
The Buccaneers looked to pad their lead even more in the fourth inning when MacNamee led off with a single and McElreath followed two batters later with a two-run home run to right for a 9-1 lead. Swift brought in a run with a bases loaded walk for a 10-1 cushion. Frank Phillips would add two runs in the seventh to make the game a little closer but Blinn still won the opener by seven runs.
Blinn 3 – Frank Phillips 2
The second game was more of a pitcher’s duel with the Buccaneers getting the clutch hits in the latter innings. The middle of the order supplied the offense for Blinn with Hillin Warren and MacNamee each picking up two hits while MacNamee knocked in a pair. Swift had the other RBI for Blinn.
O’Hara came on in relief for Clayton Kopecky in the fourth inning and pitched five solid innings, allowing only one hit while fanning 11 hitters while picking up the win.
“I was confident out on the mound because I knew my team had my back,” O’Hara said. “I felt like we were going to find a way to win tonight.”
Blinn got on the board first in the opening inning when Anderson started with a one-out single and was brought in to score with a double by Swift to left for a 1-0 lead. Frank Phillips scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-1 lead.
MacNamee came up big in the seventh inning. After Warren started the inning with a double, MacNamee nailed a two-run home run to left to give Blinn a 3-2 lead. That advantage would hold up as Tyler Woodmansee came on in the ninth to get the final two outs by strikeout to hand Blinn the slim one-run victory.
“I had a feeling I would be seeing a fast ball and he just floated one in there,” MacNamee said. “We were able to keep our intensity for the entire game and nobody was pouting in the dugout if something bad happened.”
Blinn will face Frank Phillips for another double-header Saturday, Feb. 13 starting at 12 p.m.
Story Courtesy of:
Jake Gordon
Blinn Communications & Sports Information Specialist