No. 7 Blinn College baseball picked up a crucial Region 14 South Conference doubleheader sweep over Galveston College on Saturday in Galveston, moving one step closer to another division championship.
The Buccaneers dominated game one with a 10-1 victory before rallying late in game two for a dramatic come-from-behind win to complete the three-game series sweep of the Whitecaps.
With the wins, Blinn improved to 36-12 overall and 24-7 in South Division play. The Buccaneers now sit just one win away from clinching the Region 14 South title for the fourth consecutive season.
Game One: Buccaneers Roll to 10-1 Victory
Blinn took control early in the opener by scoring three runs in the second inning.
Sophomore utility player Benji Barrera started the scoring with an RBI double. Sophomore utility player Kason Atkins followed with an RBI groundout, and redshirt freshman catcher Drew Garcia added a run-scoring single to push the lead to 3-0.
After Galveston answered with one run in the bottom of the inning, Blinn broke the game open in the fourth.
Sophomore infielder Drew Britton drove in a run on a groundout before Barrera delivered a two-run single. Freshman third baseman Ryley Leininger added a bases-loaded walk, and Barrera later scored on a wild pitch as the Buccaneers stretched the lead to 8-1.
Freshman utility player Dane Perry added an RBI double in the sixth, and Atkins followed with a run-scoring single to finish the scoring.
Blinn totaled seven hits and drew eight walks in the opener. Barrera led the offense with two hits and three RBIs, while Atkins drove in two runs.
Sophomore starting pitcher Dylan Thompson improved to 6-0 on the season after allowing one earned run on three hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out four.
Redshirt freshman Landon Bowden added two scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out four.
Game Two: Late Rally Completes the Sweep
Blinn jumped out quickly again in game two with three first-inning runs.
Freshman catcher Zachary Tuxhorn opened the scoring with an RBI double. Freshman designated hitter Austin Glasscock added a run-scoring single, and Barrera followed with another RBI double to give the Buccaneers a 3-0 lead.
Galveston answered with two runs in the second inning, two more in the third, and two in the fifth to take control of the game.
Blinn started its comeback in the seventh inning.
With the bases loaded and two outs, sophomore outfielder Reece Lunsford delivered a pinch-hit two-run single to cut the deficit to one run. Atkins followed with a game-tying RBI single to even the score.
The Buccaneers took the lead for good in the ninth inning.
After an error allowed Glasscock to reach base, Leininger ripped an RBI double to center field to put Blinn ahead. Lunsford then added an insurance run with his fourth home run of the season.
Blinn finished with eight hits and six walks. Lunsford and Glasscock each recorded two hits, while Leininger drove in a team-high two runs.
Freshman pitcher Trevor Moore earned the win and improved to 4-1 after throwing four shutout innings of relief. He allowed no hits, walked one, and struck out five while closing the game with a perfect ninth inning.
Redshirt freshman Travis Minard made the start and allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts over five innings.
Up Next: South Title on the Line
Blinn will now face second-place Wharton County Junior College in a four-game series to close the regular season.
The series opens at 6 p.m. Monday, April 27, in Wharton.
The Buccaneers currently lead the Pioneers by four games in the South standings, and one more win would secure the Region 14 South title along with home-field advantage for the Region 14 South Regional Tournament for the fourth straight season.
