ALVIN, Texas – A couple of late solo home runs was enough to give Blinn College baseball a 5-4 victory over Alvin Community College in the opening game of the double header Feb. 28 in Alvin.
Alvin was able to bounce back in the second game with a 7-3 victory to take three of four from the Buccaneers. After going 1-1 on the day, Blinn’s conference record now moves to 3-5 and 11-6 overall.
Tanner Holly and Robbie Rojas each hit a home run in the seventh inning to help the offense in the first game. Jager Toffan hit a pair of doubles while Walker Winders hit a double and knocked in two runs. Dakota Mills went all seven innings in the win and struck out nine while holding off a late rally from Alvin in the final inning.
Alvin struck first in the opening inning and held a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth. Hunter Lehman started the sixth off for Blinn by reaching on an error while James Barry followed with a walk and Rojas was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Reed Robinson was able to tie the game with a bases loaded walk and then Winders ripped a two-run double to give the Buccaneers a 3-1 lead. Alvin came back in the bottom of the sixth with a single run to make the score 3-2.
Holly and Rojas took it upon themselves to add a couple of insurance runs as both players hit solo home runs to boost the lead to 5-2 in the top of the seventh. Blinn needed both of those runs as Alvin scored two runs in the bottom half but the Buccaneers were able to get out of the inning for the victory.
Winders stayed hot at the plate in the second game with a home run and two RBIs while Rojas also had an RBI double but Alvin was able to grab the 7-3 victory. Ben Upton and Christian Thames each picked up a pair of singles in the loss. Kaylor Chafin gave a solid effort on the mound by going seven innings and giving up four earns runs while striking out six in the loss.
Alvin came out strong with two runs in the second and a single run in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. In the sixth, Robinson was able to draw a walk then later came around to score following a double from Rojas to get with 3-1 of Alvin. Alvin added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1.
Blinn came right back in the seventh as Thames singled to begin the inning and Winders blasted a home run two batters later to get within 5-3. Unfortunately, that would be the final run scored by the Buccaneers as Alvin added two more for a 7-3 victory.
Blinn will continue conference play on March 4 as it travels to face Wharton County Junior College for a double header that begins at 3 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 30 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
