BUC BASEBALL STAYS ALIVE AT REGION TOURNEY

Blinn College baseball uses solid pitching to eliminate Laredo, 8-1

Jackson Leath and John Chomko toss eight shutout innings in victory

BEAUMONT, Texas — Behind a solid pitching effort, Blinn College baseball eliminated Laredo College from the 2019 NJCAA Region XIV Baseball Tournament by the score of 8-1 Monday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

With the win, Blinn improves to 29-22 overall and will face the losing team of tonight’s game between Alvin Community College and Panola College on Tuesday, May 14, at 1 p.m.

“I thought our team showed up with a great outlook and attitude today,” said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. “Jackson Leath and John Chomko were outstanding on the mound and we hung in there to do enough offensively to separate ourselves.”

Strong pitching performances by Jackson Leath and John Chomko allowed the Buccaneers to come out on top for Blinn’s first postseason win. Leath earned his sixth win of the season after tossing the first five innings and only allowing one run, while striking out four. Then, Chomko closed out the game, throwing four innings and just allowing two hits, while striking out five.

Reggie McCalister and Jake Miller drove in two runs apiece, while Cameron Gibbons scored two runs to lead Blinn’s offense.

Laredo scored the first run of the game in the first inning, but Leath and Chomko were able to shut down the Palominos’ offense for the remainder of the game.

The Palominos held a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning when the Buccaneers landed on the board with two runs. After Gibbons singled, and Gray Rodgers and Blake Faecher drew walks to load the bases, Miller and Westley Schields each walked the bases loaded for Blinn to take a 2-1 lead.

McCalister kept things rolling for Blinn to pull away with a 4-1 lead by driving in the next two runs. He hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning and then singled in the sixth inning for Preston Hoffart to score.

Blinn added three runs to its lead in the eighth inning for a 7-1 advantage. Schields, Alec Sanchez and McCalister each walked to load the bases, then McCalister and Sanchez scored on a fielder’s choice and Gibbons scored on Rodgers’ double.

Blinn produced its final run in the ninth inning after Faecher doubled then scored on a single off the bat of Miller.

Chomko delivered Blinn’s eighth straight scoreless inning in the ninth for the Buccaneers to claim the win.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(COURTESY: Tara Dreyer, Blinn Information)