BRENHAM, Texas – The Blinn Buccaneers and Weatherford Coyotes split an afternoon double-header today at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Blake Whitter threw a complete-game shutout as the Bucs won the opener 10-0, but Weatherford captured the series finale 5-4 in 11 innings. The Buccaneers beat the Coyotes 5-1 on Friday.
Whitter was sharp in Saturday’s opener, allowing just two hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out four.
The Buccaneers, who drew 10 walks on Friday, continued take patient at-bats, coaxing seven walks from the Coyote pitching staff. Taylor Cobb went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and Hayden Vesely, Kevin Santana, Colin Kowal and Robert Gara each drove in runs.
The Buccaneers broke the game open with eight runs in the fourth inning. Four of Blinn’s six hits came in the fourth, and three walks, a hit batsman and an error contributed to the big inning.
The Coyotes took the series finale on an 11th-inning sacrifice fly that proved to be the game winner. Karl Malecek started the game for the Bucs and went six innings, scattering five hits and a walk. He allowed four runs – one earned – and struck out four.
Michael Vielma, Trent Rape and J.C. Neighbors combined to hold Weatherford scoreless for 3 1/3 innings before the Coyotes finally got to Robert Dickey in the 11th. Cole Fiola led off the inning with a single, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground ball to shortstop. A sacrifice fly from Trooper Reynolds pushed the game-winning run home.
The loss snapped a three-game Blinn win streak.
The Buccaneers (5-7) return to action Tuesday when they host Panola for a 3 p.m. double-header.
For more information on Blinn baseball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.