The Buccaneers were defeated 3-2 in seven innings in game one before absorbing an 8-7 loss in the finale. With the two wins, Wharton County swept a four-game series from Blinn (6-17, 3-8 Region XIV South).
“It was a tough day at the yard,” Blinn head coach Harvey McIntyre said. “It was an extremely tough series with the last three games being one-run games; all three could have gone either way.”
In the opener of the twin bill, Evan Aschenbeck tossed a complete game and allowed three earned runs on nine hits. He struck out five and didn’t issue a walk.
After Wharton grabbed a 3-0 lead, the Buccaneers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Blinn finished with eight hits, led by two each for Garrison Weiss, Dave Wilson, Bo Rodgers, and Chase Arnaud. Liam Koleci and Arnaud each drove in runs for the Bucs.
In game two, Blinn led 4-2 after scoring three runs in the home half of the second frame, but Wharton rallied for one run in the fourth, two in the seventh and three in the eighth. The Bucs staged a rally of their own in the ninth, scoring three runs to cut into their deficit, but fell just shy of completing the comeback.
Drake started for Blinn and worked five innings in which he surrendered three runs (all earned) on six hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Reliever Isaac Ponce was the pitcher of record for the Bucs after allowing two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings on the mound.
Blinn out-hit Wharton County 12-10, led by a three-hit performance from Weiss. Jett Garcia smacked two doubles and tallied four RBI. Arnaud also had two hits. Sean Monsour and Koleci also drove in a run apiece.
“I thought we got an outstanding start from Evan Aschenbeck and Colten Drake got us into the sixth inning of game two,” McIntyre added. “We put ourselves in a position to win both games and just came up short.”
The Buccaneers will visit Temple College for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 14 in Temple, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
