BUCS DROP NON-CONFERENCE GAME AT TEMPLE
TEMPLE, Texas – Playing in its third game in as many days, the Blinn baseball team’s rally fell short against Temple College here Monday.
The Buccaneers dropped the non-conference contest to the Leopards 9-6.
“I thought we played great. Even though we lost, we got to play some guys who haven’t seen much time on the field this season and they get 13 hits and scored six runs,” Blinn (10-5) coach Harvey McIntyre said. “We just got behind the eight ball early with a couple of big innings.”
Though the Bucs trailed 9-2 at one point, they started a rally with a four-run fifth inning.
It all started with a James Duval RBI single that scored Kent Corso. Trevor Ahin then singled to score James Barry, and with the bases loaded, Connor Smith walked to score Reed Robinson. Clayton Auippa was hit by a pitch that scored Duval to make it 9-6.
“I thought James Duval and Reed Robinson gave us some great at-bats today,” McIntyre said.
Robinson, batting in the leadoff spot, was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk. Duval, in the two-hole, was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
With the majority of Blinn’s starters getting the day off before the Bucs resume Region XIV Conference play on Thursday, McIntyre turned to his position players to eat up innings on the mound.
Third baseman Caden Williams threw an inning of shutout ball, while second baseman Cullen Jozwiak, a former pitcher for Brenham High School, allowed two hits and struck out three in 1 2-3 innings.
Even outfielder Nolan Brown saw action on the mound. He threw one inning of no-hit, no-run ball.
“Those guys really gave our arms a break today,” McIntyre said. “We knew it was going to be that kind of day with the schedule.”
Blinn opened Region XIV Conference play over the weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders against Wharton County Junior College Saturday and Sunday. The Bucs swept Saturday’s doubleheader, 3-1 and 9-3, before splitting Sunday’s play—they won 9-7 in the opener before falling 5-4 in the series finale.
The Bucs open another conference series Thursday at Alvin Community College with a noon doubleheader. The series returns to Brenham on Saturday with a 2 p.m. twinbill.
“It’s been a long three days, but our guys really competed and gutted it out,” McIntyre said. “Now we have to move on and get ready for Thursday.”
For more information on Blinn baseball, visit www.buccaneerspors.com.
(Story & photos courtesy: Matt Keyser, Blinn Information)