BLINN BASEBALL PICKS UP A NON-CONFERENCE WIN OVER NAVARRO
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
The No. 7 Blinn College baseball team used a four-run rally to surge past Navarro College for a 10-6 victory Monday at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham, Texas.
The Buccaneers improved to 28-10 overall and defeated the Bulldogs for the second time in as many matchups this season.
“It was definitely good to get back on the field after the long weekend,” Blinn head coach Dusty Hart said. “Today gave us an opportunity to knock off any rust that might have accumulated over the Easter weekend, and now we’re ready to get back into region play.”
Blinn took advantage of the non-region contest to utilize some reserves while also leaning on its bullpen depth.
Freshmen Brody Mattox (third base) and Austin Glasscock (designated hitter), along with sophomore Caden Baker (left field), joined the starting lineup.
“Any time you get a chance to give some guys some at-bats and some opportunities, it’s exciting,” Hart added. “We’re always looking for guys who can help us down the stretch.”
The lineup adjustments paid off late as Blinn erased a 6-3 deficit with four runs in the seventh inning.
Baker was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and advanced to second on an error. Sophomore infielder Jacob Bohacek followed with a single before sophomore infielder Drew Britton drew a walk to load the bases. Freshman catcher Zachary Tuxhorn brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-5. After Glasscock walked to reload the bases, Mattox tied the game with a sacrifice fly of his own.
Sophomore outfielder Reece Lunsford then gave the Bucs the lead with an RBI single.
“We did a really good job staying in the fight, especially when things weren’t going our way early on,” Hart said. “We eventually put together some really professional at-bats. The guys took the balls, swung at the strikes, and let the game come to them instead of trying to force the action.”
Blinn added insurance in the eighth inning, beginning with a run-scoring error. Tuxhorn followed with an RBI groundout, and Glasscock capped the scoring with an RBI single.
The Bucs finished with six hits — including two from Smolinski — and drew 10 walks. Tuxhorn led the way with three RBIs, while Britton added two.
Both teams scored once in the first inning before Navarro added single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. Blinn answered with two runs in the fifth, but the Bulldogs extended their lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh before the Buccaneers’ rally.
The comeback made a winner out of redshirt freshman Landon Bowden, who earned his first collegiate victory after working the top of the seventh inning.
Redshirt freshman Tucker Tittle started for Blinn and allowed two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Freshman Bryce Robinson tossed two innings of two-run ball; redshirt freshman Marc Barnhard struck out all three batters he faced in the sixth; freshman third baseman/pitcher Ryley Leininger threw a perfect eighth; and sophomore Hudson Melaerts escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth with his third strikeout of the inning.
“I thought the pitchers did a great job, especially after we got down early,” Hart said. “They put up some zeroes and gave us a chance to come back. We don’t win that one if they don’t come in and do the job they did for us late in the game.”
Blinn wrapped up non-region play with a 12-5 record and will now close the regular season with 14 consecutive Region 14 South games.
The Buccaneers open a three-game series against San Jacinto College-North at 6 p.m. on Thursday in Houston, Texas.