BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College baseball used three timely home runs and a solid pitching performance from Andrew Morgan to beat San Jacinto College-North 8-3 to open a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Leroy Dreyer Field.
San Jacinto was able to outscore Blinn 19-12 in the second game to force a split and take the weekly series 2-1. Blinn moves to 13-13 overall and 6-6 in Region XIV play after the split.
Blinn 8 – San Jacinto 3
Blinn used timely big hits and a solid start on the mound from Morgan to pick up an 8-3 victory over San Jacinto to open the doubleheader.
Morgan pitched six strong innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four to earn the victory. Cody Moos came on in the seventh and pitched a scoreless inning to close out the victory.
Angel De La Fuente, Sam McElreath and Colton Parrish each hit a home run in the win. De La Fuente hit a two-run shot early in the first inning, Parrish hit a three-run home run and McElreath added a two-run home run to help supply the offense.
San Jacinto was able to score first with a single run in the first inning but Blinn answered back in the bottom half. Jay Anderson got the inning started with a single and then trotted around the bases after De La Fuente sent a two-run home run over the fence in left for a 2-1 lead. The Buccaneers added to the lead in the second when Johnny Rizer doubled to get on base and then scored on a suicide squeeze bunt laid down by Tyler Fowler for a 3-1 lead. San Jacinto would get within 3-2 with a run scored in the fourth inning.
Parrish and McElreath put some padding on the lead in the fifth inning. Anderson singled and Anthony Jones was hit by a pitch and then Parrish blasted a three-run home run to right for a 6-2 lead. McElreath decided to get in on the act as he followed with a two-run home run two batters later for an 8-2 lead after five. San Jacinto added a run in the sixth but that would be the final run scored as Blinn held on for the win.
San Jacinto 19 – Blinn 12
In a wild game that saw Blinn trail by 10 runs early on then come all the way back to take a one run lead and then ultimately fall 19-12 to San Jacinto to split the doubleheader.
Parrish delivered a grand slam that tied the game up at 10-10 as he brought in seven runs combined in the doubleheader. Rizer brought in three runs and hit two singles while Jones brought in a pair and had two singles in the loss.
Blinn dug itself an early hole as San Jacinto took an early 10-0 lead after four runs in the first and third innings and two runs in the second. Blinn did show a little life in the bottom of the third when Marshall Skinner doubled to begin the inning and then came in to score on a single by Jones to get within 10-1.
Momentum started to shift in Blinn's favor in the sixth inning as Parrish started the inning with a walk and then came in to score on a double by McElreath to get within 10-2. Rizer brought in a pair with an RBI single to right for the third and fourth runs. Anderson and Jones each brought in runs via a bases loaded walk to get within 10-6.
Parrish delivered a big blow in the inning with a grand slam to right to help Blinn tie the game up at 10-10 after trailing 10-0 in the third. The Buccaneers weren't finished in the inning as Rizer brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to left to give Blinn an 11-10 lead after six. The momentum didn't stay with Blinn as San Jacinto scored five in the eighth and four in the ninth to take a 19-11 lead.
Blinn showed some fight in its last chance in the ninth as Rizer started the inning with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch to get within 19-12 but that would be the final run scored as the Buccaneers had to settle for a split.
Blinn will next host a non-conference game against Angelina College on Tuesday, March 21 at 4 p.m. Angelina beat Blinn 11-1 in Lufkin earlier in the season on Feb. 7.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 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.
