LAREDO, Texas – Blinn College baseball's pitching staff only allowed four runs in a doubleheader against Laredo Community College to help the Buccaneers sweep the Palominos by the scores of 10-0 and 9-4 on Friday.
With the pair of wins, the Buccaneers improve to 36-15 overall and 25-8 in Region XIV play.
Blinn 10 – Laredo 0
A solid pitching performance by Andrew Morgan paired with a productive offense allowed the Buccaneers to run-rule Laredo in five innings by the score of 10-0 to open the doubleheader.
Morgan only allowed two hits, while striking out four in a five-inning complete game shutout for the win. Sammy Blair anchored the offense with three RBIs and two runs after he went 2-for-2. Alec Sanchez, Reggie McCalister and Brandon Ashy each knocked in one run in the victory.
Blinn took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of play after all three runs scored in the same at-bat. Drew Ardoin and Ashy each landed on base with singles and then scored on wild pitches with Sanchez at the plate. Sanchez then hit a single for Gray Rodgers to score and give Blinn an early lead.
The Buccaneers built their lead to 5-0 in the second inning after Blair stole home and McCalister scored on a wild pitch.
Blair kept the offense rolling in the third inning after hitting a double for Cameron Gibbons and Koby Collins to score. McCalister followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Zach Cherry home, while Blair scored on a fielder's choice for Blinn to lead 9-0.
Blair drove in the final run of the game in the fourth inning with a single that allowed Gibbons to score. Morgan delivered another scoreless inning in the fifth inning for Blinn to run-rule Laredo, 10-0.
Blinn 9 – Laredo 4
Laredo held a brief lead before the Buccaneers came back for a 9-4 victory to conclude the doubleheader with a sweep.
Bryce Miller recorded the win after throwing 3 1/3 innings out of the bullpen and only surrendering one run on four hits, while striking out two. Jacob Millender was also solid on the mound for Blinn after only allowing two runs on one hit in five innings to start the game.
On the offensive side, Hunter Trinidad led Blinn with three RBIs, while Blair, Collins and Ashy each drove in two runs.
Blinn was the first team on the board after collecting one run in the third and fourth innings. Blair and Trinidad hit sacrifice flies for Collins and Ashy to score, respectively, and Blinn to lead 2-0.
Laredo landed on the board for the first time after scoring two runs in the fourth inning to even the score 2-2. The Palominos added one run in the sixth inning to take a 3-2 lead.
Blinn immediately answered back with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take back a 5-3 lead for good. Blair started things off with a single for Trinidad to come home, while Ashy drove in two runs with a double for Blair and Ardoin to score.
Collins hit a two-run bomb in the eighth inning with Gibbons on base for Blinn to pull ahead 7-3.
Laredo scored its final run in the eighth inning, while Blinn added two more runs in the ninth. Trinidad brought home both runs with a triple that allowed Jake Miller and Sanchez to come home and score.
Blinn will finish the regular season and conference series against Laredo on the road with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 5, starting at noon.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
