Brendan Sweeney and Lucas Davenport showered Dusty Hart with the contents of an icy cold water cooler, and Blinn College baseball’s head coach could do nothing else but soak it all in.
He wouldn’t have it any other way.
The eighth-ranked Buccaneers completed their Region XIV Super Regional comeback with a 13-6 victory over San Jacinto College-North on Sunday at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham, Texas, to clinch the best-of-three series and a spot in the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series.
“That felt amazing,” Hart said to the dozens of players, family members, and Blinn staff and administration celebrating on the field after the victory. “This never gets old. This is why we do what we do every day.”
(Pictured: Blinn head coach Dusty Hart reacts after getting a water cooler bath following his team’s super regional win on May 19, 2024)
Hart and the Bucs are headed back to Grand Junction, Colo., after winning back-to-back games against San Jacinto-North to recover from a 1-0 series hole. Blinn also qualified for the national tournament in 2023 – Hart’s first season with the Bucs – making it two consecutive appearances for the first time since 1964-65.
Blinn finished in fourth place last season.
“Last year we had a great time in Grand Junction, and I’m just excited for our sophomores who get to go back and all of our new players who will experience it for the first time,” sophomore Tanner Reaves said. “I’m grateful for our squad and the successful year we’ve had that has allowed us to go back, and now we want to go up there and finish the job.”
Before they could get back to work in Grand Junction, the Bucs had to take care of business in Brenham.
After San Jacinto-North earned a 6-5 victory in game one Friday, Blinn surged to a 23-5 triumph on Saturday. Sunday’s winner-take-all matchup was a back-and-forth affair early on, but the Bucs took control for good in the middle innings.
Blinn sophomore Shane Connell gave up an earned run in the top of the first inning, but that lead was short-lived as the Bucs rallied in the second.
Sophomore Tony Vernars and Reaves provided a bases loaded walk and an RBI single, respectively, to put the hosts ahead 2-1.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Brandon Bishop celebrates in the dugout during a game against San Jacinto College-North on May 19, 2024)
The Ravens got to Connell again in the fourth to jump ahead 3-2, but that would be the final lead for the visitors.
“When we were down, I had full faith that our offense would give me another lead,” said Connell, who improved to 5-0 on the year. “It was just up to me not to give it up again.”
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Blinn in the home half of the fourth before sophomore Cade Climie smoked a two-run double to center field. Freshman Caden Ferraro then drew a walk to load the bases once more and sophomore Connor McGinnis followed with a two-run single. Sophomore Brandon Bishop added an RBI double and an RBI bunt single by sophomore Marshall Lipsey followed by a fielding error pushed two more runs across to make it 9-3.
Reaves blasted a solo home run to center field in the fifth, and Ferraro added an RBI single in the inning as Blinn’s cushion grew to 11-3.
Freshman Ethan Gonzalez capped the offense with a two-run double in the sixth.
The Bucs tallied 14 hits, including two-hit performances for Climie, McGinnis, Gonzalez, Vernars, and Lipsey. Climie had two doubles.
San Jacinto-North chased Connell with a double and a single in the seventh, but sophomore relief pitcher Ben Bosse came on to limit the damage to three runs.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Shane Connell delivers a pitch against San Jacinto College-North on May 19, 2024)
Connell allowed five earned runs on eight hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
“We knew San Jacinto was going to play hard,” Hart added. “We’ve beaten them before, and they came back and played harder the next game. When it’s a one-game deal like today anything can happen, but we felt confident with Connell being on the mound. He did as good a job as you can ask.”
Bosse allowed an earned run on one hit and two walks and struck out three while recording the final nine outs of the ballgame to earn his fifth save.
The JUCO World Series begins Saturday, May 25, at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction. The seedings and pairings for the 10-team field have yet to be announced. All games will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
“I’m just happy for all of these guys,” Hart said. “They love baseball, and they love each other, and they’re just a great group to be around. This is something they’ll talk about when they’re 60-70 years old. I can’t wait for them to experience it.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 47 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
