BRENHAM, Texas Brett Minninch's walk-off double in the seventh inning lifted Blinn College baseball (27-16, 19-12) to a 6-5 victory over Laredo College to open Saturday's doubleheader at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Minninch and Cameron Gibbons then combined for nine RBIs to lead Blinn to a run-rule win over Laredo, 14-1, in five innings, to closeout the doubleheader.
"It was a great day for our club and I am very proud of the way our guys responded today after a tough loss last night," said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. "They showed up with 0-0 on their minds and found a way to win the series the hard way."
Blinn won the first game of the four-game series, 11-6, before falling to Laredo in extra innings, 5-4. The pair of wins today allowed Blinn to take three out of four games to win the series.
Blinn 6 – Laredo 5
After falling behind, Blinn rallied for three runs in the final inning to walk off with a 6-5 victory over Laredo to open the doubleheader.
Minninch and Nick Wolff led Blinn' offense with two RBIs each, while Alec Sanchez scored two runs in the win.
The Buccaneers trailed 5-3 entering the final inning, but scored three late runs for the win due to three Laredo mistakes and two hits. The rally began with an error that allowed Sanchez to get on base first and Reggie McCalister followed after getting hit by a pitch. Gibbons drove in the first run with a single for Sanchez to score. A wild pitch allowed McCalister and Gibbons to move into scoring position and they both scored off of Minninch's walk-off double.
Earlier in the game, Sanchez gave Blinn a 1-0 lead in the third inning with a solo shot over the fence. Laredo tied the game 1-1 in the fourth inning, but Wolff doubled in the bottom half for Minninch to score and Blinn to take a 2-1 lead.
Laredo answered with three runs in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth inning to pull ahead 5-2. Blinn took one run back in the sixth inning when Wolff singled for Jake Miller to score.
Blinn 14 – Laredo 1
Minninch and Gibbons combined for nine RBIs to help the Buccaneers run-rule Laredo, 14-1, in five innings for the sweep.
Gibbons went 4-for-4 to score four runs and drive in four runs, while Minninch recorded five RBIs and scored two runs to lead Blinn's offense. Gray Rodgers also scored three runs in the win.
Henry Bird earned the win after pitching all five inning and only allowing three hits.
Blinn leaped out to an early 6-0 lead in the first inning after Gibbons hit a one-run single, Rodgers hit a one-run double and Minninch followed with a three-run homer.
The Bucs added two more runs in the second inning when Wolff singled for Gibbons to score, and Rodgers scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Blake Faecher.
An error allowed Laredo to score its only run of the game in the third inning. In the bottom of the third inning, Blinn extended its lead to 11-1 when Minninch hit a one-run single and Faecher hit a two-run double.
Gibbons hit a three-run homer for Blinn's final runs in the fourth inning.
Next, Blinn will take a break from conference play and host Coastal Bend College in a doubleheader on Monday, April 29, starting at 2 p.m. at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 41 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
