Blinn College’s reliable offense rallied out of a five-run deficit and the 11th-ranked Buccaneers rode a sturdy effort from their bullpen en route to a 13-8 come-from-behind win over Bossier Parish Community College in the opening round of the Region XIV South Regional tournament Friday in Brenham, Texas.
Blinn (40-13), the tournament’s top seed, faced off against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers for the first time this season in what was the first of two opening round ballgames in the postseason tournament at Leroy Dreyer Field. The Bucs didn’t disappoint, advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round with a multi-faceted team win.
“A win is a win; they’re not all going to be pretty,” first-year Blinn head coach Dusty Hart said. “We’ve preached all year that you can’t play to what is on the scoreboard; you just have to keep your head down and keep playing and keep competing … especially at home. We know we can put up runs in this park.”
(Pictured: Blinn freshman Marshall Lipsey hits a grand slam during a game against Bossier Parish on May 5)
After Bossier Parish (30-23) opened up a 5-0 lead in the top of the second, Blinn wasted no time answering in its half of the frame. After Freshman Coy DeFury led off with a single and sophomore Tate Bethel doubled, a walk to freshman Brayden Sprencel loaded the bags for freshman power hitter Marshall Lipsey. The hard-hitting outfielder sent a 1-2 pitch high and far over the right-field wall to pull his team within one.
“Our entire attitude this season has been about picking each other up,” Lipsey said. “If someone makes an out or commits an error or gives up a few runs, it’s everyone’s job to have that person’s back. So, I just went up to the plate in a big situation, wanted to show that I had my team’s back and got a pitch I could handle and did some damage with it.”
The Bucs would go on to take the lead after walks to Sprencel and Lipsey in the third brought freshman Brandon Bishop to the plate. Bishop promptly blooped a pop fly down the first-base line, which slipped out of the glove of the Cavalier right fielder and allowed both Blinn baserunners to score. Bishop was credited with a double on the play.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Tate Bethel hits a home run during a game against Bossier Parish on May 5)
Bethel homered in the fourth for a 7-5 Buccaneer lead.
Five more runs crossed the plate for Blinn in the seventh thanks to a Bossier Parish error and a three-run homer for DeFury as the hosts surged ahead 12-5.
The Cavaliers scored three in the eighth but came no closer.
The Bucs finished with 12 hits, including a 4-for-5 showing for Bethel. He fell a triple shy of the cycle and finished with an RBI and three runs scored. DeFury and Bishop each had two hits. Freshman Tanner Reaves doubled.
On the mound, starting pitcher Shane Connell worked 3 1/3 innings before being lifted with one out in the fourth. He was charged with five earned runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Freshman reliever Hunter Bond (3-2) was awarded the victory after tossing 3 2/3 frames. He was charged with all three of the Cavaliers’ runs in the eighth but did enough to help Blinn earn the victory. He allowed two hits, two walks, and punched out four.
“I got my number called and I was out there to do my job. I just wanted to get our hitters back in the dugout to score more runs,” Bond said. “Our bullpen works hard every day in practice so we can be ready for the games, and I know we all have confidence that anyone in our bullpen can come out here and get outs when we’re needed.”
Freshman Tyler Bogusz recorded an out in the eighth before freshman Cody Pfeffer secured the final four outs for his fourth save of the year. Pfeffer allowed a hit, a walk, and fanned two.
Up next, Blinn takes on third-seeded Wharton County Junior College (28-28) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Wharton County defeated second-seeded Tyler Junior College 7-4 in Friday’s other first-round tilt to advance. Tyler (31-26) and Bossier Parish will face off in the consolation bracket at 2 p.m. on Saturday, as both teams will look to reach Sunday’s championship round.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 43 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
