BRENHAM, Texas – A pair of one-run victories extended the Blinn Buccaneers' win streak to four games and propelled the team above .500 for the first time this season.
The Buccaneer baseball team defeated the McLennan Highlanders 3-2 and 4-3 Tuesday in a non-conference double-header at Leroy Dreyer Field.
“We told the kids afterwards that this was a big day,” coach Harvey McIntyre said. “Not that long ago, we left Hobbs, N.M. and we were 2-6. Now we’ve gone 8-3 in our last 11 and that’s exactly what we needed to do to dig ourselves out of that hole.”
In both games, the Buccaneers relied on a three-run fourth inning to put them on top. Freshman left-hander Cole Doherty earned the win out of the bullpen in the opening game, refusing to allow a McLennan hit through 3 1/3 innings. Doherty struck out two without walking a batter.
He entered the game in relief of Trent Rape, who went the first 3 2/3 innings. Rape allowed two earned runs on five hits and four walks.
McLennan scored both its runs in the third inning before Blinn rallied for three the following inning. Nolan Brown got the Bucs on the scoreboard with an RBI single, and Holden Cammack followed with a run-scoring single of his own. A sacrifice fly from Scott Jones drove in the game-winning run.
Freshman right-hander Dillon Becker earned the win in Game 2 while J.C. Neighbors picked up the save. Tyler Day started the game, allowing two runs – one earned – over three innings. He allowed three hits and walked three before Becker came on in the fourth. Becker went two innings, allowing one run on a hit and four walks. Neighbors threw two no-hit innings for the save.
Taylor Cobb got the Buccaneers on the scoreboard with an RBI double in the third. The following inning, Colin Fry brought a run home with a sacrifice bunt and Jones followed with a two-run triple.
The wins improved Blinn to 10-9 on the season.
Colin Fry got the start at shortstop. Starting shortstop Josh Garza is out with a broken finger and his backup, Robert Garza, is out with a facial laceration suffered when a ground ball took a bad hop on him Saturday against Wharton County.
The Buccaneers host Alvin for a Region XIV Conference game at 3 p.m. Friday.
For more information on Blinn baseball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
