Bucs conclude tournament with 12-1 victory
Kane drives in five runs while Simms K’s seven

BRENHAM, Texas – The Blinn Buccaneers capped off their home baseball tournament in style Saturday night.
Sophomore shortstop Jake Kane drove in five runs to lead Blinn’s 16-hit attack and Jason Simms struck out seven over five innings in a 12-1 victory over North Central Texas College that ended via mercy rule after six innings.
Kane, a product of Dulles High School, doubled twice and hit a sacrifice fly to finish with five RBIs. After posting 10 RBIs all of last season, he has 19 in the Bucs’ first 19 games this season.
“It’s a credit to how much better a hitter he is,” Blinn coach Harvey McIntyre said. “He’s been phenomenal for us.”
Holden Cammack went 2-for-3, including a two-out, two-run double in the second inning that sparked a four-run rally. Colin Kowal drove in a pair of runs, and Eric Wood, Tyler Boss and Kevin Daniels also had two hits apiece.
The Bucs were coming off a 5-2 loss to Seminole State (Okla.) College earlier in the day, a loss in which the Bucs managed just four hits.
“After the morning game we asked them for their best effort and boy did we get it,” McIntyre said.
Simms gave an excellent effort in his own right, striking out seven batters in five innings. He allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk.
“He threw his breaking balls for strikes,” McIntyre said. “I don’t want to say I thought there was no way we would lose when we gave him a five-run lead, but I felt pretty good because he’s a bona fide No. 1 and he threw like it tonight.”
Freshman Trent Rape threw a scoreless inning of relief.
The win improved the Buccaneers to 11-8 on the season. Blinn went 3-1 for the tournament, including a pair of wins over NCTC. The Bucs return to Region XIV Conference play on Friday with a 6 p.m. game at Laredo Community College.
For more information on Blinn baseball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.