BRENHAM, Texas — Although Blake Faecher and Reggie McCalister combined for five RBIs in Thursday's game against San Jacinto College-North, the Gators were able to rally back for a 7-5 win over Blinn College baseball (28-19, 19-14) at Leroy Dreyer Field to open a doubleheader.
San Jacinto carried the momentum into the second game to dish Blinn a 5-2 loss.
San Jacinto 7 – Blinn 5
Although Blinn's offense produced 11 hits and blasted three home runs, San Jacinto was able to rally past the Buccaneers for a 7-5 win in the doubleheader opener.
Faecher and McCalister drove in all of Blinn's runs to lead the offense. McCalister hit two home runs to drive in three runs and score two, while Faecher drove in two runs and scored one after hitting two doubles and one home run. Cameron Gibbons also manufactured three hits in the game.
Jackson Leath gave the Buccaneers a shot at the win with a strong start on the mound. He recorded 6 1/3 innings and only surrendered two earned runs, while striking out five.
San Jacinto opened the game with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Buccaneers evened the score 1-1 in the second. Brett Minninch and Faecher led off the inning with back-to-back doubles for Blinn's first run to score.
The Gators immediately answered back in the top of the third inning to take back a 2-1 lead, but the Buccaneers evened the score again in the bottom of the inning when McCalister hit a solo home run.
In the fourth inning, Faecher hit a home run for the Buccaneers to take a 3-2 lead.
Leath pitched two scoreless innings for Blinn to hold onto the one-run lead. In the sixth inning, Feacher doubled and Preston Hoffart singled, but a close call at home plate kept Blinn off the board.
San Jacinto gained momentum in the seventh inning to score five runs and take a 7-3 lead.
Blinn began to rally in the seventh inning after Westley Schields led off with a single and McCalister followed with a home run for the Buccaneers to gain on the Gators 7-5. Gibbons kept things rolling with a single and Rodgers followed with a walk, but San Jacinto recorded the final two outs needed for the win.
San Jacinto 5 – Blinn 2
San Jacinto carried momentum into the second game of the doubleheader to defeat Blinn, 5-2.
McCalister led Blinn with two hits, Kevin House followed with one, and Alec Sanchez scored both runs for the Buccaneers.
Ryan Day was solid in his start for Blinn, throwing six innings and only allowing two earned runs, while striking out seven.
San Jacinto put the first run on the board in the third inning, but the Buccaneers immediately tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Sanchez scored on an error.
The Gators took back a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning and extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth.
San Jacinto scored its final run in the top of the eighth inning for a 5-1 advantage. Sanchez answered back for Blinn by scoring its last run in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch.
Next, Blinn will conclude the regular season against San Jacinto on the road on Sunday, May 5, in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 41 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
