The No. 3 Blinn College baseball team took control early and never let go Thursday, defeating Northeast Texas College 10-3 in game one of the Region 14 Super Regional series in Waco, Texas.
The Buccaneers (44-12) moved one win away from a fourth consecutive trip to the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. Blinn and Northeast Texas will meet again at 6 p.m. Friday in game two of the best-of-three series.
“We can’t treat Friday like a do-or-die situation,” fourth-year Bucs skipper ย said. “Our players know what’s at stake, but it’s the same game they’ve been playing since they were five years old. They just have to play loose and relaxed and go have fun.”
Blinn wasted little time building momentum, erupting for three runs in the opening inning.
Freshman catcherย Zachary Tuxhornย opened the scoring with an RBI single before freshman designated hitterย Dane Perryย added a two-run base hit to make it 3-0.
The Bucs created even more separation in the fifth inning. After loading the bases, sophomore outfielderย Reece Lunsfordย ripped a bases-clearing triple to center field to stretch the advantage to 6-0. Blinn later added another run in the frame on an Eagles error.
“I thought Reece’s triple was the swing of the game,” Hart explained. “You felt our entire dugout collectively exhale after that and it just felt like we were firmly in the driver’s seat after that.”
Meanwhile, sophomore starting pitcherย Dylan Thompsonย kept Northeast Texas off balance throughout his six scoreless innings of work. He allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out three as he improved to 8-0 on the season and lowered his earned run average to a nifty 2.10.
“Dylan was lights out,” Hart said. “It always starts with pitching, and if you can get an effort like that every time, you’re going to find yourself winning a lot of ballgames. Dylan threw all of his pitches for strikes and made some really big pitches when he needed to. Super proud of that guy.”
Northeast Texas mounted its lone threat in the seventh inning after Thompson exited the game. The Eagles pieced together a double and four consecutive two-out singles to score three runs against redshirt freshman relieverย Travis Minardย before redshirt freshmanย Marc Barnhardย entered and induced a lineout to end the rally.
“I thought Travis did his job,” Hart said. “Northeast has some good hitters, Travis threw strikes, and they scratched across some hits. Travis still did what we needed him to do. Marc came in in a big spot and completely shut the door after that, so just an overall good job from our bullpen tonight.”
Blinn answered immediately with an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single from sophomore first basemanย Drew Brittonย before Perry capped his strong night with a two-run home run in the ninth, his 10th homer of the season.
The Bucs cranked out 13 hits, led by three hits for Lunsford, who fell a homer shy of the cycle. Perry had two hits and four RBIs, Tuxhorn finished with two hits, and sophomore shortstopย Jacob Bohacekย doubled as part of his two-hit effort.
Barnhard finished off the victory with 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out the final two batters he faced to seal the win.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 andย capturedย 53ย national championships since 1987.
