BRENHAM, Texas - Blinn College baseball breezed by Baton Rouge Community College after managing 22 runs in a doubleheader to defeat the Bears by the scores of 11-3 and 11-7 on Monday afternoon at Leroy Dreyer Field.
With the pair of wins, Blinn increases its overall record to 19-10, while holding an 11-4 record in Region XIV play.
Blinn 11 - Baton Rouge 3
The Buccaneers used a high-powered offense and two home runs to defeat Baton Rouge, 11-3, in seven innings to open the doubleheader.
Alec Sanchez was perfect at the plate after going 4-for-4 and hit a home run to drive in three runs. Sammy Blair went 3-for-4 and led the Buccaneers with four RBIs, hitting a two-run homer.
Kasey Kalich recorded the win after throwing five innings and surrendering three runs on five hits, while striking out five.
Blinn took off with a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Reggie McCalister and Brandon Ashy hit two straight doubles for McCalister to score, but Baton Rouge evened the score 1-1 in the third inning.
However, Blinn tacked on seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take off with an 8-1 lead that it would hold for the remainder of the game. Sanchez sparked the offense in the inning with a three-run homer for Drew Ardoin and Ashy to also score, while Miller recorded two more runs in the inning with a double that allowed Koby Collins and Cameron Gibbons to score. Blair finished up the inning with a two-run homer for Miller to score as well.
Baton Rouge scored its final two runs in the fourth inning to trail Blinn, 8-3. The Buccaneers scored two runs of their own in the bottom half as Blair hit a single for Sanchez and Mason Michalec to score.
Blinn scored its final run in the sixth inning as Gibbons scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ardoin.
Blinn 11 - Baton Rouge 7
Although Baton Rouge held a 2-0 lead to open the game, the Buccaneers charged back to defeat the Bears, 11-7, in nine innings to finish the doubleheader.
Zach Cherry led Blinn with three RBIs, while hitting two home runs, while Gray Rodgers, Jackson Leath, Ardoin and Blaire each drove in one run. Sanchez and Michalec each scored two runs in the win.
Chance Norman sealed the win for Blinn after surrendering one run on one hit after pitching for one inning.
Baton Rouge grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the opening inning, but Blinn leveled the score 2-2 in the third inning. Rodgers drove in the first run for Blinn with a single for McCalister to score, while Sanchez stole home for the second run.
In the fourth inning, Blinn took a 4-2 lead after Blair hit a triple for Michalec to score and then later scored on a passed ball.
Baton Rouge came back in the fifth inning with two runs to tie the game 4-4, but Blinn pulled back ahead 5-1 in the bottom of the inning when Cherry hit a solo home run.
The Bears kept fighting to even the score once again 5-5 in the sixth inning, however Blinn pulled away with six runs in the bottom half to keep the lead for good. Michalec was the first to score in the inning after Ardoin batted him in with a single. Blinn racked up two more runs after Ardoin and Sanchez scored on the same error. Leath kept the offense rolling with a one-run double for Rodgers to score, while Cherry hit a two-run shot over the fence for Leath to score and Blinn to lead 11-5.
Baton Rouge attempted to rally by adding a run in the eighth and ninth innings, but fell short 11-7.
The Buccaneers will be back in action when they take on Coastal Bend College on Wednesday, March 28 in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
