BRENHAM, TX -- No matter how many comebacks it took, the Blinn Buccaneers were determined to send the San Jacinto Gators home to Houston with a pair of losses Thursday afternoon.
Blinn took both games of the double-header, 3-0 and 5-4, but only after the Buccaneers rallied in both the ninth and 10th innings.
“They’ve shown signs of becoming a really good team,” said Blinn head coach Harvey McIntyre, whose club improved to 27-12 on the season and 18-10 in Region XIV Conference play. “Today they proved they’re not only a really good team, but they’re able to pick themselves up and respond when they face adversity. What they did today was very special.”
Sophomore Jason Simms threw a complete-game one-hitter in the day’s opening contest and didn’t allow San Jacinto’s first base hit until the sixth inning.
“That was a great shot in the arm,” McIntyre said. “He dominated their lineup.”
The Buccaneers, who committed five errors in a 10-4 loss to San Jacinto in the series opener Wednesday in Houston, took advantage of a few San Jacinto miscues to get on the scoreboard. In the third inning, Josh Garza singled and advanced to third before scoring on a wild pitch. An inning later, Garza hit a ground ball that San Jacinto booted for a two-run error.
The Buccaneers would have to earn everything they got in the second game.
Blinn trailed 2-0 heading into the eighth when sophomore Markus Carr was hit by a pitch and stole second. Jake Kane grounded out to advance the runner, and Tyler Boss hit a sacrifice fly to get Blinn on the scoreboard.
The first two Buccaneer hitters in the ninth inning were retired before Hayden Vesely drew a walk and pinch hitter D’Andre Heggie smoked the ball over the left fielder’s head for an RBI double that tied the score.
The Gators once again took the lead in the 10th, scoring twice to take a 4-2 lead into the 10th.
The Bucs didn’t waste any time in answering. A single from Kane, double by Boss and walk by Kevin Daniels loaded the base with nobody out. Eric Preuss smacked a line-drive RBI single up the middle to pull the Bucs within one, and Vesely followed with a two-run double down the right field line to win the game and cap off a wild and crazy day of baseball.
“There were a lot of storylines today,” McIntyre said.
Sophomore left-hander Kevin Hahn threw the first six innings for the Bucs, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and a walk. He struck out three. Taylor Cobb threw two innings of scoreless relief and David Rumsey earned the win after throwing the ninth and 10th.
With the wins, the Buccaneers improved to 18-4 in their last 22 games.
The Buccaneers are off until Wednesday, when they travel to Carthage, Texas for a 3 p.m. double-header against Panola College.
