BUCS GET SPLIT AT ALVIN
Buccaneers explode for five late runs to grab opener against Alvin, 6-1
Alvin splits the pair with a 10-4 victory in the night cap
ALVIN, Texas – In a pitcher’s duel in the opening game, Blinn baseball was able to break the game open right in time to grab a 6-1 victory over Alvin Community College April 8 in Alvin.
The Buccaneers earned five runs in the top of the seventh inning to put on plenty of late run support to secure the first game. Alvin turned the tables in the second game by getting all the run support needed in a 10-4 victory to split the pair of games.
The win for Blinn in the opener was big as it broke a streak of seven consecutive losses, six of those being conference games. The split brings the Blinn conference record to 9-15 and overall record to 18-17 as the Buccaneers fight for a spot in the conference playoffs. Blinn currently has a one game advantage over Wharton County Junior College in the win column for the fourth spot in the Region XIV South Zone standings.
Stephen Stuart came through for Blinn in the opening game with a grand slam and then added an additional RBI to knock in five of the six runs for the Buccaneers. Jose Reyes also knocked in a run in the victory. Justin Penney was smooth on the mound, going all seven innings and only allowing one run in the win.
It was all pitching early on as Penney was cruising without any run support. Blinn did get the offense going in the sixth inning when Patrick King singled to start it off and then Stuart brought King in with a single to right for a 1-0 lead. Alvin countered in the bottom of the sixth with a single run to knot the game up at 1-1.
The seventh inning belonged to Blinn as Conner Smith started it with a single and then was brought in after a single by Reyes to right for a 2-1 lead. That lead wasn’t enough for Blinn as Stuart ripped a grand slam to right to turn a slim one-run lead into a five-run cushion. That cushion would remain until the final out in the opening game.
Blinn scored first in the second game but it was Alvin scoring late and often to pull out a 10-4 victory to split the pair of games. Christian Thames had two doubles and Robbie Rojas had two singles in the loss. Reyes, King, Cullen Jozwiak and Jager Toffan each had an RBI for the Buccaneers in the final game.
Blinn actually jumped out ahead in the opening inning as Jozwiak was hit by a pitch and then was brought in by a single by Toffan for an early 1-0 lead. Alvin came back in the third with a pair of runs for a 2-1 lead.
In the back and forth game, Blinn came right back in the top of the fourth when Thames started it with a double and Smith walked. Thames scored after an Alvin error to tie the game and Blinn took the 3-2 lead after King hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Smith. Jozwiak gave Blinn a 4-2 lead with an RBI single to left. Alvin tied the game at 4-4 after consecutive single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In fact, after Blinn held a 4-2 lead, Alvin ripped off eight consecutive runs to close out the game with a 10-4 victory.
Blinn will see Alvin April 9 as it hosts a pair of games at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham that start at 3 p.m.
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(Story courtesy: Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)