BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College baseball recovered from an early four-run deficit with a walk-off win in Blinn's home opener on Saturday afternoon at Leroy Dreyer Field. Zach Cherry drove in the final run for Blinn to top Angelina College, 6-5, in the first game of the doubleheader before Angelina defeated Blinn, 9-6, in the second game.

With the split, Blinn's record moves to 2-2 overall.

"They had to find their way back into both games today and they kept competing, so I like what this team is about," said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. "I am proud of them. They stayed in the fight and good things happened for them."

Blinn 6 – Angelina 5

Although the Buccaneers surrendered four runs in the first inning of the home opener, the offense came alive to muster 13 hits and eventually score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

"It was an exciting way to win the game," said sophomore Zach Cherry, who drove in the winning run. "We never felt down and found a way to fight back."

Although Angelina scored four runs in the first inning, the Buccaneers settled in and pitched five scoreless innings. Angelina managed to even the score 5-5 in the seventh inning.

Alec Sanchez led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double and Cherry, who went 3-for-4, hit a single for Sanchez to score and for the Buccaneers to claim a 6-5 victory.

Jacob Miller went 2-for-3 and led the Buccaneers with two RBIs, while scoring one run. The top of the line-up was clutch as Drew Ardoin, Brandon Ashy and Alec Sanchez recorded two hits each.

Bryce Miller picked up the win after coming into the seventh inning and surrendering one run on one hit, while striking out one.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Buccaneers got onto the board with one run. Ardoin and Ashy led off the inning with back-to-back singles and Sanchez followed with a double for Blinn to score.

In the fourth inning, the Buccaneers struck again as Cherry led-off with a double and scored the first run of the inning on an error. Jacob Miller followed with a two-run homer for the Buccaneers to even the score 4-4.

In the sixth inning, Gray Rodgers hit a solo home run for the Buccaneers to lead for the first time, 5-4. Angelina answered back and leveled the score 5-5 in the seventh inning, but the Buccaneers came back for the victory in the bottom of the inning.

Angelina 9 – Blinn 6

The Buccaneers held a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning of the closing game of the doubleheader, but Angelina gained momentum late to rally for five runs in two innings and defeat Blinn 9-6.

Marshall Skinner went 2-for-4 with one double and Kobe Collins went 2-for-2, while both scored a run and drove in a run to lead the Buccaneers' offense. Ashy led the Blinn with two RBIs, while Cherry and Sanchez each drove in a run.

The Buccaneers held a 2-0 lead heading into the third inning after tacking on one in each of the first two innings. Sanchez hit a solo home run in the opening inning, while Skinner came up with a double and Collins followed with a one-run single for Blinn to take a 2-0 lead.

Angelina showed up in the third inning and scored three runs to grab a 3-2 lead, however the Buccaneers evened the score in the bottom of the inning after Cherry used a one-run single to score Ardoin.

Angelina pulled ahead 4-3 in the fourth inning after scoring a run. In the bottom of the inning, Collins and Hunter Trinidad hit back-to-back singles and Ashy followed with a triple to add two runs to the board for Blinn to lead 5-4. In the fifth inning, the Buccaneers extended their lead to 6-4 after Rodgers scored off a one-run single by Skinner.

Angelina rallied in the final two innings, scoring two runs in the sixth inning to even the score 6-6 and adding three more in the seventh inning for a 9-6 victory.

Blinn will play in the Tournament of Champions on Friday, Feb. 9 in Houston. The Buccaneers will face Northwest Florida State College at the University of Houston at 10 a.m. and Northeast Texas Community College at Lamar University at 6 p.m

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987.