BRENHAM, Texas – It took a solid pitching performance from Kaylor Chafin and just enough offensive support for Blinn College baseball to edge Wharton County Junior College 5-2 in the opening game on April 15 at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham.
Wharton returned the favor in the nightcap by the same score, 5-2, to split the pair of games as both teams battle it out in the standings.
The split brings the Blinn conference record to 10-18 and its overall record to 19-20. Blinn is battling with Wharton for the fourth spot in the Region XIV South zone as Wharton is slightly ahead in the win column at 12-18.
Chafin pitched six innings and only allowed two runs while striking out seven and Nathan Alexander came on in the seventh to clean up the victory with a save. Patrick King had a solid game at the plate with three singles while Walker Winders picked up a pair of hits in the opener.
Christian Thames had the big hits for Blinn with a double and home run while knocking in two of the five Buccaneer runs.
Blinn got going early in the first inning when Thames hit a one-out double and then Jager Toffan nailed a single two batters later to left for a 1-0 advantage after one.
The Blinn lead expanded to 3-0 after Thames nailed a two-run home run to left. The scoring wasn’t over for Blinn as Robbie Rojas singled in a run to give the Buccaneers a 4-0 lead. Wharton brought the score a little closer with a pair of runs in the fifth to get within 4-2.
Blinn was able to extend its lead in the sixth when Clayton Auippa doubled to start off and then King brought in Auippa with a single for a 5-2 edge. Alexander came on in the seventh to close out the save for Blinn.
Wharton flipped the script and the score on Blinn in winning 5-2 in the nightcap. Cullen Jozwiak had two of the five Blinn hits and both of them were doubles. Thames also doubled and knocked in a run but it wasn’t enough to sweep Wharton.
Wharton jumped ahead with a single run in the top of the first but Blinn came right back in the bottom half. Jozwiak doubled to begin the bottom half and then Thames followed with a double of his own to knot the game 1-1 after one.
Blinn grabbed the lead in the fifth inning when King hit a one-out single and then was brought in on an RBI single by Stephen Stuart for a 2-1 advantage. That would be the final time Blinn would touch the plate as Wharton scored three in the sixth and added an insurance run in the ninth for the 5-2 victory.
Blinn is next scheduled to travel to Wharton on April 18 for a double-header that begins at 2 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.
