The fourth-ranked Blinn College baseball team endured a tough road trip Friday as the Buccaneers dropped a pair of one-run contests in extra innings during the rain-shortened Tyler Spring Tournament in Tyler, Texas.
Blinn fell to Tyler Junior College, 2-1, in eight innings in its tournament opener before dropping a 9-8, eight-inning ballgame to No. 11 McLennan Community College to end the night.
Rain on Saturday washed out the Buccaneers’ scheduled doubleheader against No. 3 Weatherford. Those games are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13, though details have yet to be determined.
Blinn (3-3) was two outs away from a victory over Tyler in its first contest of the day, but the Apaches pushed home the game-tying run on an RBI groundout.
Tyler earned the walk-off win on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth frame.
The Apaches’ come-from-behind triumph spoiled a solid pitching performance from Blinn sophomore Kaden Dydalewicz. The right-hander worked 6-plus innings of four-hit ball while allowing just one earned run with a pair of walks and six strikeouts.
The Bucs’ offense managed just four hits, led by a two-hit game for sophomore Tanner Reaves. Sophomore Connor McGinnis drove in Blinn’s lone run of the game with a single to right field in the third inning.
Sophomore relief pitcher Cody Pfeffer was the pitcher of record for the Bucs after 1 2/3 innings of work.
In game two, Blinn built an early 6-1 cushion, but McLennan rallied to take a 7-6 edge in the fourth frame.
Blinn sophomore Coy DeFury singled in sophomore Brandon Bishop to tie the game at 7-all in the home half of the fourth before the Highlanders would jump ahead again in the sixth.
The Bucs would answer once more when freshman Caden Ferraro grounded into a double play which sent freshman Lane Allen to the plate.
McLennan regained the lead for good with a run in the top of the eighth.
Blinn finished with seven hits, with McGinnis and sophomore Marshall Lipsey each producing a two-hit effort. Sophomore Cade Climie had a three-run double for the Bucs during a five-run third frame.
On the mound, sophomore Bryson Dudley took the loss for Blinn following two innings of relief. He allowed an earned run on three hits with two walks and four punchouts. Freshman Lucas Davenport started the game for the Bucs and allowed five runs (four earned) across 3 1/3 innings of five-hit ball. He fanned three and walked two. Sophomores Jake Kolkhorst and Brendan Sweeney worked 2 2/3 innings of combined relief.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
