BUC BASEBALL EARNS SWEEP AT ALVIN

Buccaneer extend winning streak to four games after sweep

ALVIN, Texas – Blinn College baseball used a great combined pitching performance and timely offense to earn a much-needed sweep over Alvin Community College by the scores of 5-4 and 7-2 Thursday afternoon.

“The difference for us today is that pitching put up some zeroes on the scoreboard and our offense did its job,” said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. “These were two great wins on the road.”

The Buccaneers improved to 14-11 in Region XIV play and 24-18 overall. Blinn extended its win streak to four games with the doubleheader sweep.

Blinn 5 – Alvin 4

Blinn saw a three-run lead evaporate in the sixth inning but Jay Anderson helped give the Buccaneers a 5-4 victory with a two-run home run in the seventh to open the series against Alvin.

Anderson brought in his two runs with a home run while Colton Parrish did the same thing in the first inning. Marshall Skinner also brought in a run with a sacrifice to help supply the offense.

Johnny Rizer not only had a pair of singles in the win but got the start on the mound and pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings after giving up only two hits and striking out three. Zach Smith gave up three earned runs in 2 2-3 innings but was able to pick up the win on the mound while Kyle Gray picked up the final out for the save.

Blinn got off to a great start in the first inning when Anthony Jones singled with one out and then Parrish belted a home run over the fence in right for a 2-0 lead.

The Buccaneers added an additional run in the sixth as Angel De La Fuente was hit by a pitch to lead off and then scored on a sacrifice hit by Skinner for a 3-0 lead. Alvin scored four runs in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead.

Losing its lead didn’t discourage Blinn as Tyler Fowler started the seventh by drawing a walk and then trotted around the base paths when Anderson nailed his game-winning home run to right for a 5-4 lead that would hold up until the final out.

Blinn 7 – Alvin 2

Blinn was able to get special performances from Sam McElreath and Andrew Morgan to complete the sweep of a doubleheader over Alvin with a 7-2 victory.

Morgan went the distance for the Buccaneers on the mound, pitching all nine innings and allowing just two earned runs on nine hits while striking out three. Morgan totaled 110 pitches in the victory.

McElreath gave an equally impressive performance in belting two home runs and bringing in five of the seven total runs. Parrish had the other RBI for Blinn. Skinner added a pair of doubles while Jones added a double and a single in the win.

Alvin was able to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning but it didn’t last long. Jones and Parrish drew walks to begin the fourth and McElreath cleared the bases with a three-run home run to right for a 3-1 lead.

The Buccaneers extended their lead in the fifth when Anderson reached base with a walk and then scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead. Alvin scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth to get within 4-2 but that would be all the damage that Alvin would get off of Morgan.

Blinn looked to pad its lead in the eighth inning when Jones tripled to start it off and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Parrish for a 5-2 lead. McElreath put the icing on the cake with a two-run home run in the inning to give the Buccaneers a 7-2 edge that would end up as the final score.

Blinn will host Alvin on Saturday, April 22 for another doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field.

(Story courtesy: Jake Gordon, Blinn Infomation)