BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College baseball didn't get a sweep on the final day of the regular season but took care of Laredo Community College in the final game 12-2 in six innings to finish the season strong Saturday at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Laredo did win the first game 1-0 in a pitcher's duel to split the pair. With the split, Blinn finishes the regular season with a 28-25 record and 18-17 in Region XIV play.
Laredo 1 – Blinn 0
Blinn was able to outhit Laredo 6-4 but the Buccaneers could not get a run on the board as Laredo pulled out a 1-0 victory to open the doubleheader.
Anthony Jones and Zach Cherry each had a pair of singles Andrew Morgan pitched well enough for the win as he went all seven innings and allowed one earned run on four hits while striking out five in the loss.
Laredo scored its lone run in the sixth inning to take a 1-0 lead. Blinn had its chances and left a total of seven players on base but was unable to score in the one-run loss.
Blinn 12 – Laredo 2
Blinn started out the closing game of the doubleheader much better as the Buccaneers scored six runs in the first inning and pulled away for a 12-2 victory over Laredo in six innings to close the regular season with a win.
Jay Anderson had a pair of singles and brought in two runs. Johnny Rizer hit a single and a double and brought in two. Colton Parrish and Angel De La Fuente each hit a double and brought in a pair. Jones, Connor Whitaker and Marshall Skinner each had an RBI in the win.
Brandon Symmank picked up the win on the mound by lasting four innings and allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out 10. Weston Brown came on in the sixth and pitched a scoreless inning while striking out one.
Jones got everything started for Blinn in the first with a one-out solo home run to left for a 1-0 lead. Rizer made it 2-0 with an RBI single to left and then Parrish drove in a pair with a double to right for a 4-0 lead.
De La Fuente kept the first inning going with an RBI double to left for a 5-0 edge and then Anderson capped the inning with an RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 6-0 advantage. Laredo did get one back in the second to get within 6-1.
The Buccaneers went right back to work in the bottom of the second when Sam McElreath led off the inning with a single and then scored on an RBI double by Rizer to left for a 7-1 lead. De La Fuente made the score 8-1 with a sacrifice fly to left to cap the scoring in the inning.
Blinn just kept on rolling in the third inning with Jones drew a one-out walk and then scored on an error for a 9-1 lead. Skinner made the score 10-1 with an RBI single to left to cap the scoring in the third.
The Buccaneers looked to build on their lead as Koby Collins drew a one-out walk and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Whitaker for an 11-1 lead. Laredo would score one in the fifth to avoid the run rule and get within 11-2.
The run rule could not be avoided in the sixth as De La Fuente started the inning with a walk and then scored after an RBI triple by Anderson to give Blinn a 12-2 victory.
Blinn will next play Saturday, May 13 in the Region XIV tournament in Grand Prairie against the top seed from the East Division.
Prior to the doubleheader with Laredo, the Blinn College athletic department presented a check to Adam's Angels Ministry.
Adam's Angels Ministry is called to provide care and comfort for families that are in a battle against childhood cancer. The fundraising effort is part of Blinn's annual Adopt-a-Charity program in which all Blinn athletic programs dedicate a portion of their gate proceeds towards a charity. For more information on Adam's Angels Ministry, visit www.adamsangelsministry.org.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 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.
