The Blinn College baseball team dropped a 6-5 decision to San Jacinto College-North in the opener of a four-game Region XIV series Tuesday in Houston.
San Jacinto earned the victory over the Buccaneers with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning after Blinn had taken a 5-4 edge in the top of the frame.
The Bucs are now 10-9 overall and 3-1 in the Region XIV South division. Seven of Blinn’s setbacks have been decided by just one run.
“That’s just a disappointing loss,” Blinn head coach Dusty Hart said. “We fought hard, but at the end of the day we have to take advantage of the opportunities we have throughout the game. That’s one area we really have to improve in.”
The Bucs left a handful of runs on the base paths after they failed to score in the first inning despite a leadoff double, and again with runners on first and third base with one out in the sixth.
“What should have been a three- or four-run lead in the ninth ended up only being a one-run lead, and that came back to bite us in the end,” Hart added.
The Ravens took jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning before Blinn got on the board with a solo home run off the bat of sophomore Marshall Lipsey in the second. The Bucs pushed two more runs across in the third inning on a bases loaded walk and a passed ball to grab a 3-2 edge.
After San Jacinto tied the game in the home half of the inning, a wild pitch in the next half inning put Blinn back on top. The Ravens tied the game once more in the seventh.
In the ninth inning, freshman Caden Ferraro – who also started the game on the mound for the Bucs – hit an RBI double to left field to make it 5-4.
San Jacinto knotted things up again in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly before earning the walk-off victory with an RBI single.
Blinn finished the game with seven hits, including two apiece for sophomores Tanner Reaves and Jake Kolkhorst.
“We have to be willing to make adjustments and be willing to do the little things that will make a difference late in the game,” Hart said.
Ferraro had a solid outing for the Bucs with 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball. He allowed all three runs (earned) on six hits with a walk and a strikeout. Sophomore Bryson Dudley continued to shine in a relief role for Blinn as he fanned six Ravens across 3 2/3 innings while allowing an earned run on one hit and one walk. Sophomore reliever Cody Pfeffer was charged with the loss after allowing two earned runs on two hits with one walk and one punchout.
The series between Blinn and San Jacinto continues with a 6 p.m. matchup at Leroy Dreyer Field on Thursday, March 7, in Brenham, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
