BRENHAM, Texas — The Blinn College baseball team (14-9, 4-6) claimed a 6-0 victory over South Suburban College Tuesday at Leroy Dreyer Field.
"I thought our guys were nails on the mound and didn't flinch for nine innings, while stranding base runners all day," said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. "We found a way to score in three innings in a row and separate from a scoreless game in the sixth."
Despite South Suburban managing nine hits, Blinn's pitching staff was solid under pressure and kept the Bulldogs off the board.
Patrick Hail, Bryce Toney, Mason Muras, and AJ Irvin combined to throw nine shutout innings. Hail allowed just three hits and struck out five in the first two frames, Toney allowed only three hits and struck out four in 2 1/3 innings, Muras earned the win after surrendering just one hit in 2 1/3 innings, and Irvin gave up just two hits and struck out four in the final 2 1/3 frames.
Graden Emmons led Blinn with two RBIs, while Dalton Davis, Kam Kelton and Caden Homniok each knocked in one run. Kelton, Homniok, Westley Schields, Brandon Williams, Preston Hoffart, and Ben Hovda all scored in the win.
After five scoreless innings, Blinn scored the first two runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kelton led off with a walk, moved to third on a Williams single, and scored on Homniok's sacrifice bunt for the Buccaneers to lead 1-0. Williams scored on a wild pitch to extend Blinn's lead to 2-0.
Blinn added one run in the seventh inning when Shields singled, advanced to third on an error, and scored on Kelton's single for the Buccaneers to pull ahead 3-0.
Blinn scored its final three runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-0 lead for good. The Buccaneers loaded the bases as Homniok arrived on an error, and Hoffart and Hovda each singled. Then, Homniok scored on a groundout and Emmons drove in two runs with a single.
Next, the Buccaneers will resume conference play as they host Laredo College in a doubleheader on Friday, March 13, starting at 4 p.m at Leroy Dreyer Field.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 41 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
