BUCS SPLIT SATURDAY TWINBILL AT LAREDO

Blinn baseball takes conference series over Laredo with 9-2 win

Ryan Day strikes out 11 batters for the win

LAREDO, Texas — Blinn College baseball (12-10, 5-7) used an explosive offense and defense to defeat Laredo Community College, 9-2, Saturday in the doubleheader opener.

The Buccaneers concluded the conference series with a 9-3 loss to take two-of-three games.

Blinn 9 – Laredo 2

The Buccaneers cruised to a 9-2 victory over Laredo to open the doubleheader.

Ryan Day earned the win on the mound for the Buccaneers after throwing a complete game and only surrendering two runs on four hits, while striking out 11.

Preston Hoffart and Cameron Gibbons led Blinn’s offense with two RBIs a piece, while Jake Miller, Nick Wolff and Hoffart each scored two runs in the win.

Laredo scored its only runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. From there, Blinn’s offense took over.

Blinn evened the score 2-2 in the third inning after Wolff opened the inning with a solo home run and Hoffart scored on Miller’s single.

The Buccaneers scored three runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good. Hoffart drove in the first run with a single for Reggie McCalister to score, while Wolff scored on an error. Westley Schields finished the inning with a double that plated Hoffart.

Blinn added two runs in the fifth and sixth innings for the final. Tyler Russell drove in Blinn’s first run in the fifth inning with a single for Miller to score, and then scored after Hoffart was hit by a pitch. In the sixth inning, Alec Sanchez and Miller scored Blinn’s last runs on an error.

Laredo 9 – Blinn 3

Laredo bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader to defeat Blinn, 9-3.

Brett Minninch led Blinn’s offense by going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. Hoffart recorded one RBI, while Cody Vinklarek, Miller and Wolff each scored one run.

Laredo slowly built a 4-0 lead, scoring two runs in the first inning, and one run in the second and fifth innings.

Blinn landed on the board in the sixth inning when Wolff scored on a fielder’s choice, however Laredo answered back in the bottom of the inning with two runs to pull ahead 6-1.

Blinn never took the lead, scoring its final two runs in the seventh inning after Minninch hit a two-run single for Vinklarek and Miller to score.

Laredo tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning for the final.

Next, Blinn will continue conference play on the road against San Jacinto College-North on Thursday, March 21, at 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(COURTESY: Tara Dreyer, Blinn Information)