ASCHENBECK LEADS BLINN BASEBALL TO 7-5 WIN OVER MCLENNAN

Evan Aschenbeck pitched five innings of one-run ball while the Buccaneer offense spotted him a quick seven-run lead en route to a 7-5 victory over top-ranked McLennan Community College on Saturday at Fireman’s Park in Brenham.

The Bucs and Highlanders settled for a two-game split after McLennan (7-5-1) defeated Blinn on Friday in Waco, Texas.

Aschenbeck, a Brenham High School graduate committed to Texas A&M University, earned his second win of the season after holding the defending NJCAA national-champions to one earned run – a solo home run in the fifth inning – on six hits. He struck out six and walked none.

Aschenbeck’s most recent outing came nine days after pitching five innings of a combined no-hitter against Navarro College.

“It was great to get back out there and compete again, and it just felt good to execute my pitches,” Aschenbeck said. “The offense was clicking the first three innings and I couldn’t ask for a better job from them.”

Blinn (3-8) started fast in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on freshman Chase Arnaud’s RBI single. Back-to-back singles from freshmen Bo Rodgers and Jett Garcia got the Bucs going again with two outs in the second, and freshman Cole Smajstrla just missed his fourth home run of the year when he doubled off the left-field wall to make it a 3-0 ballgame.

“Our goal today was just to come out and attack early, see fastballs early in the count, and we did that,” Smajstrla said. “We put up seven runs early in the game and that was enough for Aschenbeck and our relievers to get us the win.”

Arnaud added a solo home run to lead off the third frame, and after freshmen Luke Nail and Garrison Weiss singled, a passed ball sent Nail to the plate. Freshman Cash Callahan was walked and Rodgers drove in both baserunners with a single to cap the scoring.

Rodgers paced Blinn’s 12-hit attack with three hits. Arnaud, Nail, and Garcia finished with two base knocks apiece.

“We did much better things offensively today, for sure,” Blinn head coach Harvey McIntyre said. “The big thing for us is that after (Arnaud’s) home run, we kept the pressure on McLennan with two more base runners and that big two-run single that helped us get into their bullpen. That was huge for us.”

After Aschenbeck’s day was finished, freshman Ethan Roark and sophomore Colson Geisler pitched two innings of relief apiece. Geisler earned a six-out save.

Blinn hits the road for a Region XIV bout with Alvin Community College at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in Alvin, Texas.

(Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information)