CORSICANA, Texas — The Blinn College baseball team (13-6, 4-3) scored three runs in the third inning and never looked back, as the Buccaneers rolled to a 6-4 win over Navarro College in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday.
"It was a great effort by our club today to go on the road and beat a very good team," said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. "We responded in the third with a big inning and pushed across a run with two outs in the ninth to give us some room. It was good to get the arms that threw on the mound today out there and I thought they did a really great job."
Patrick Hail started for Blinn and surrendered just one run and three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work. Bryce Toney gave the Buccaneers 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win, while Mason Muras and Timmy Richmond each pitched one scoreless inning. Dillon Smith pitched one frame and didn't allow one hit or an earned run. Blane Romero recorded the save, surrendering one run and no hits in the final inning.
Westley Schields led Blinn's offense with two hits, two runs, and one RBI, while Jack Schell and Cole Brown followed with one run and one RBI apiece. Brandon Williams also knocked in one run, while Ben Hovda and Preston Hoffart each scored one run in the win.
Navarro led off with a home run in the bottom of the first for the Bulldogs to take a 1-0 lead that they hold onto until the Buccaneers put together a three-run third inning. Blinn strung together four hits to take a 2-1 lead as Hoffart singled and Schell doubled to lead off the inning and Brown and Schields followed with one-run singles. Brown stole home for Blinn's third run of the game.
Blinn added one run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to hold a 5-1 advantage. After Hovda doubled in the fourth inning, he scored on Schell's single, while Schields scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning.
The Bulldogs scored two runs in the sixth inning to gain on Blinn 5-3. Both runs scored on groundouts following a walk and an error.
Blinn scored its final run in the top of the ninth inning when Schields singled and Williams hit a double for him to score.
Navarro rallied for one run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Bulldogs scored on a sacrifice fly before falling to Blinn.
Next, the Buccaneers will travel to Houston to resume conference play against No. 15 San Jacinto College-North on Thursday, March 5, at 6 p.m. The nine-inning game will begin a three-game series for the Buccaneers and the Gators.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 41 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
