WHARTON, Texas – Blinn College baseball was staring down defeat in the first game trailing 3-0 after five innings but came back to tie the game in the seventh and win the game in the 10th for a 4-3 victory over Wharton County Junior College in the opening game Saturday afternoon in Wharton.
Wharton was able to hold on to its lead in the second game to earn a 4-2 victory to earn the split of the doubleheader. With the split, Blinn's overall record moves to 21-25 and 11-21 in the Region XIV South Zone standings.
Blinn 4 – Wharton 3
Blinn was facing a loss in the opening game after trailing 3-0 after five innings but the Buccaneers were able to come back and tie the game in the ninth and Hillin Warren brought in the winning run in the 10th inning with a single for a 4-3 victory over Wharton.
Warren pushed across the winning run while Austen Swift, Jay Anderson and Walker Winders each had an RBI in the come from behind victory.
Blaine Suehs got the start on the mound and pitched five innings while giving up three earned runs on eight hits while striking out five in the no decision. Tyler Woodmansee came on in the sixth and pitched the final five innings to get the win without giving up a run and striking out five.
Wharton jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a single run in the first inning and two runs in the fifth. Blinn started its comeback in the sixth when George Pappas singled to lead off and then came around to score on an RBI double by Winders to center to get within 3-1.
With their backs against the wall, the Buccaneers avoided defeat in the seventh inning as Angel De La Fuente started the rally with a one-out single and then came around to score on a Swift RBI single to right to get within 3-2. Anderson helped Blinn tie the game at 3-3 with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to help the Buccaneers extend the game.
With Woodmansee throwing scoreless relief innings, Blinn went after the lead in the 10th inning when Trent Murphy started it off by getting hit by a pitch with two outs. Murphy later scored on the RBI single by Warren to center to give Blinn a 4-3 lead that would hold up after the final out.
Wharton 4 – Blinn 2
Blinn fell behind early again in the second game but did not have enough for a come from behind win as Wharton pulled off the 4-2 victory to earn a split of the doubleheader.
The Buccaneers outhit Wharton 7 to 3 but could not convert on enough of their chances. Colton Parrish hit a solo home run and Anderson went 3 for 3 with an RBI in the loss.
Cody Moos got the start and went four innings allowing three earned runs on three hits while striking out seven. Justin Penney came on in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings with a strikeout.
Wharton jumped out to a 4-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings and then two runs in the fourth. Parrish helped Blinn get on the board with a solo home run to right to get within 4-1.
In its last chance to score in the seventh, Swift started a rally with a walk and was brought in by an RBI single by Anderson to right to get within 4-2 but that would be as close as the Buccaneers would get in the loss.
Blinn will be back home on Friday, April 29 for a doubleheader against Laredo Community College beginning at 4 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
With an enrollment of 19,422 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
