LUFKIN, Texas – Offense for Blinn College baseball was cruising and jumped out to an 8-1 lead but nearly lost control of that lead but the Buccaneers were able to hold on for a 9-7 non-conference victory over Angelina College Tuesday afternoon in Lufkin.
Blinn used the long ball to get some runs on the board as Ben Upton hit a pair of dingers while Christian Thames and Patrick King each hit one over the fence in the victory. With the win, the Blinn overall record moves to .500 at 21-21 and the conference record stays put at 11-19.
The Buccaneers used six different pitchers in the nine inning game but it was Kirby Peek earning the win by pitching three innings and only allowing a single run while striking out four.
Blinn got on the board first when Walker Winders hit a two-out single in the second inning and then was drove in after an RBI single by King through the infield for a 1-0 lead. Angelina tied the game up at 1-1 with a single run in the third inning.
Upton hit his first home run to lead off the fourth inning with a solo shot to give the Buccaneers a 2-1 edge. The scoring didn’t stop there in the inning as Jager Toffan followed with a single and then Hunter Lehman drilled an RBI single to right for a 3-1 lead.
For back-to-back innings, Blinn started the frame with a solo home run as King started the fifth with a solo shot for a 4-1 lead. Balls were flying over the fence at a rapid rate in the fifth for Blinn as Thames and Upton each hit a solo shot for a 6-1 lead. Toffan kept the inning going with a single and then was able to score on a double by Lehman for a 7-1 lead.
Blinn tacked on one more run in the seventh when Thames was hit by a pitch and then scored after Upton ripped a double through the infield for a commanding 8-1 lead. The Buccaneers lead would stay that big as Angelina put six runs on the board to get within 8-7 of Blinn.
Luckily, Blinn was able to escape the eighth inning with a slim lead and the Buccaneers added a much-needed insurance run. King added an RBI single to left to score Reed Robinson for a 9-7 lead that Blinn was able to hold on to until the final out to earn the road victory.
Blinn will next travel to face Laredo Community College on Friday, April 24 for a double-header that begins at 4 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.
