ALVIN, Texas - Marshall Skinner hit two home runs and recorded six RBIs in Blinn College baseball's 15-8 victory over Alvin Community College to open a three-game conference series on Thursday afternoon.
The victory over Alvin improves Blinn's overall record to 10-7 and Region XIV record to 6-1.
Skinner led the offense with four hits, while scoring two runs. Alec Sanchez was next with three hits for two RBIs, while scoring three runs. He was joined by Brandon Ashy who scored three runs in the victory, while Gray Rodgers and Koby Collins scored two apiece.
Jacob Millender improved his record to 2-0 on the mound after sealing the win in five innings of work. He gave up six runs on 12 hits, while striking out five. Andrew Morgan was solid out of the bullpen, only surrendering one hit in two innings, while Jackson Leath pitched in the final two innings and only surrendered two runs on one hit.
The Buccaneers jumped on Alvin early, scoring two runs in the first inning. Skinner drove in the first run with a single that scored Rodgers, while Sanchez scored the second run on a wild pitch for Blinn to lead 2-0.
Alvin scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-2 lead, but the Buccaneers immediately matched Alvin with three runs in the following inning. After Sanchez arrived on base due to an error, Skinner followed with a two-run home run. Cherry kept the offense rolling by following with a triple and later scored on wild pitch for Blinn to lead 5-3.
In the fourth inning the Buccaneers' offense exploded for six runs. Cameron Gibbons scored the first run of the inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sanchez and Skinner followed with a three-run shot over the fence. Back-to-back hits by Collins and Jacob Miller drove in the final two runs of the inning for Blinn to lead 11-3.
In the fifth inning Alvin scored three runs to close in on Blinn 11-6, but the Buccaneers pulled back ahead 13-6 with two runs in the seventh inning. Ashy drove in the first run with a single that scored Collins, then Ashy scored off a one-run single by Sanchez.
In the ninth inning Blinn tacked on two more runs to lead 15-6. Ashy scored his third run of the game on an error, while Mason Michalec hit a one-run single to bring home Sanchez.
Alvin scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning before falling 15-8.
The Buccaneers will continue the conference series against Alvin on Saturday, March 10 in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Both games will be Adam's Angels Ministry fundraiser games in which Blinn raises money and awareness for Adam's Angels. 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 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.
In addition, both games will be "Turn Back the Clock" games featuring players wearing throwback Blinn jerseys that would have been worn in the 1920s and 1930s.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
