CORSICANA, Texas — Blinn College baseball’s pitching staff threw eight shutout innings before surrendering eight runs in the ninth inning for Navarro College to defeat the Buccaneers, 8-5, on Tuesday.

With the loss, the Buccaneers open the season with a 0-1 record.

“Despite the final score, we did a lot of things well in all three phases of the game,” said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. “Jacob Millender and John Chomko were outstanding on the mound.”

Millender was phenomenal in his first start of the season, only surrendering one hit, while striking out six, in four innings. Chomko made a solid collegiate debut, just surrendering one hit in three innings, while striking out two.

Reggie McCalister led Blinn’s offense with two runs on two hits, a double and a home run. Cameron GibbonsGray Rodgers, and Westley Schields each recorded one run in the game.

Blinn scored its first run in the third inning and tacked on three more in the fifth to lead Navarro 4-0. The Buccaneers scored their final run in the eighth inning for a 5-0 advantage.

However, Navarro stormed back in the ninth inning for eight runs to take the win.  

Blinn will compete in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 9, against Temple College at 11 a.m. and Angelina College at 2 p.m. in Temple.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.

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