BUCS TAKE FOUR FROM LAREDO

FRIDAY

Buccaneers improve playoff chances by sweeping Laredo, 11-1 and 9-4

LAREDO, Texas – Blinn College baseball knew that it couldn’t afford to lose many more games if it wanted a chance for the playoffs and the Buccaneers took care of win column by sweeping Laredo Community College, 11-1 and 9-4, Friday afternoon in Laredo.

The offense showed up in both games for Blinn and the conference record improved to 13-19 and 23-21 overall. The 13-19 record ties Wharton County Junior College for fourth place in the Region XIV South Zone with only six more conference games left.

Most of the offense for Blinn came from one inning as the Buccaneers scored 10 of their 11 runs in the fourth inning. With that kind of run support, Kaylor Chafin was able to cruise through all seven innings on the mound while allowing only four hits and a run while striking out six.

Christian Thames had the bat going in the first game as he hit a home run and a triple while knocking in three runs. Stephen Stuart went 3-for-5, with three singles and two runs batted in while Patrick King hit a triple and two singles in the victory.

Laredo jumped ahead with a single run in the first inning but that lead would be a distant memory after the fourth inning. Stuart started the fourth with a single and then came around to tie the game at 1-1 after a triple by Thames to center.

The scoring continued as Ben Upton followed with a double for a 2-1 lead. Hunter Lehman brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly for the second run but Blinn would still add seven runs with two outs.

The two out rally continued with an RBI single to right by King for a 4-1 lead. Cullen Jozwiak brought in a run with a double to left for the fifth run. Stuart brought in a pair of runs with a single to center and then Thames followed with a two-run home run for a 9-1 lead. Lehman capped the fourth with an RBI double to center, his second RBI in the inning, for a 10-1 lead.

After the huge inning, Blinn was able to tack on one more in the fifth when King tripled and then Jozwiak doubled to score King for an 11-1 lead that would hold up until the final out.

Laredo got off to a much better start in the second game but it was Blinn finishing off the game by scoring seven runs in the final four innings to close out the sweep with a 9-4 victory.

Winders and Jager Toffan had the hot bat in the second game as each player had three hits and each knocked in a run. Thames hit a home run for the third consecutive game and drove in two in the win.

Dakota Mills and Kirby Peek nearly split time evenly on the mound as Mills pitched four innings and struck out six while Peek pitched the final five innings and didn’t allow a run in the win.

Laredo jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings but Blinn was able to cut into that lead in the fourth. Thames started the inning with a solo home run to left to make the score 3-1. Toffan followed two batters later with a single and then was brought in by a Jose Reyes RBI single to center to get within 3-2. Laredo did tack on one run in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 4-2.

Upton and Toffan started a rally for Blinn in the sixth with a double and single respectively. Lehman brought in one run with a single to center to get within 4-3. Winders tied the game at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly and then Lehman also came around to score in the inning to give Blinn a 5-4 lead.

Blinn built upon its lead in the seventh when Stuart started it with a one-out single and then scored after a double to center by Thames for a 6-4 lead. Toffan doubled in a run to right to score Thames for a 7-4 advantage.

Winders and Reyes started off the eighth inning with singles and helped Blinn boost its lead. Winders scored on an RBI single by Stuart and then Reyes scored later in the inning to give Blinn a commanding 9-4 lead that would hold up until the final out.

SATURDAY

Blinn moves into sole possession of fourth place with a 15-19 record

LAREDO, Texas – Pitching did its job for Blinn College baseball in only allowing three runs in a pair of wins over Laredo Community College Saturday afternoon by the score of 6-3 and 3-0 in Laredo.

The pair of victories gave Blinn a 15-19 conference record and are now 25-21 overall. Blinn now holds steady to the fourth spot in the Region XIV South Zone and the Buccaneers now have won five consecutive games.

Blinn broke the game open in extra innings with three runs in the ninth to come away with the opening victory. Nick Masarik came on to pitch in the sixth inning and finished the game off to pick up the win.

Jager Toffan picked up two doubles and also knocked in a pair of runs while Jose Reyes hit a double and a single while batting in one. Patrick King and Cullen Jozwiak each had an RBI in the win.

Blinn struck first in the second inning when Toffan reached on an error and then later scored on an error for a 1-0 lead. Laredo was able to tie it up at 1-1 in the fourth and then take a 2-1 lead with a single run in the fifth.

The Buccaneers were able to strike back in the sixth when Stephen Stuart and Christian Thames each singled. Toffan brought in both teammates with a double to center to give Blinn a 3-2 lead. Laredo would tie the game back up in the sixth at 3-3 that would eventually force extra innings.

It took a couple of innings but Blinn was able to get something going in the ninth inning with the help of four doubles. Toffan started it with a double to right and then scored the go-ahead run after a double by Reyes to left. Blinn padded its lead with RBI doubles by King and Jozwiak for a 6-3 lead that would hold up after Masarik shut Laredo down in the bottom of the ninth.

Justin Penney came through on the mound for Blinn in the second game by pitching all seven innings and only allowing two hits in the 3-0 shutout victory. Blinn didn’t get many hits either with six but King was able to gather a single and triple while scoring twice. Thames and Toffan each had an RBI in the win.

Blinn did all the scoring with Penney posting zeros on the mound. The Buccaneers started the scoring in the third when King singled to start up and Jozwiak singled while Ben Upton walked to load the bases. Toffan used his patience to push across a run with a bases loaded walk for a 1-0 lead.

King started a rally in the fourth inning with a two-out triple and then was able to cross the plate for a 2-0 lead. Blinn added an insurance run with two outs as Stuart singled and then scored after a double by Thames to center for a 3-0 advantage that would hold up until the final out.

Blinn will host San Jacinto College-North for its final home games of the season Thursday, April 30 with the double-header beginning at 4 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(Story courtesy: Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)