Robert Cessna
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Blinn's quest for a second straight national junior college baseball championship remains alive after the Buccaneers scored four runs in the ninth inning for a 14-13 victory over Florida SouthWestern in an elimination game Sunday night on Sam Suplizio Field.
The game was tied at 6 after three innings, but third-seeded Florida SouthWestern scored four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth inning for a 13-7 lead. But the second-seeded Bucs (47-14) scored three runs in the sixth inning and topped that in the ninth. Caden Ferraro, Matt Quintanar and Bennett Fryman strung together singles to score a run and Ethan Gonzalez hit the first pitch for a go-ahead three-run homer.
Blinn's Ben Polleschutlz retired the side in order in hte bottom of the ninth for the second straight inning to earn the victory. Cadyn Shaw pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings after starting pitcher Hayden Morris was touched for 10 hits and eight runs in 3 1/3 innings. Hunter Bond allowed two hits and five runs in 1 1/3 innings. Only 10 of SouthWestern's 13 runs were earned as Blinn had six errors. Blinn pitchers struck out 14 and walked only four.
People are also reading... Texas A&M baseball season likely over after loss to LSU at SEC tournament George Coulam, founder of Texas Renaissance Festival, found dead in his home Texas A&M beats Auburn in SEC tournament, loses LaViolette Bryan man convicted of 2020 murder A Texas suburb that saw its population jump by a third is the fastest-growing city in US Jace LaViolette has broken hand, to miss remainder of SEC tournament Centerville rallies to beat Shelbyville in a marathon 2A-I regional finals doubleheader Texas A&M baseball team beats Mississippi State to keep season alive The Eagle's 2025 All-Brazos Valley Girls Basketball Team College Station launches history photo book Texas 6 widening project set to start in the fall A calm offseason in a program moving forward puts a smile on Elko's face Brazos Valley Bombers relocating to College Station Lexington advances to its first state title game with sweep of Jourdanton Abrupt ending to the season takes the glitter off what A&M accomplished
Blinn had 18 hits as Fryman had four. Gonzales and Ferraro each had three.
SouthWestern (44-17) had 15 hits as Jake Mueller, Carlos Sanchez, Nathan Fink and Michael McAloose each had three.
Blinn stays alive in the 10-team, double-elimination tournament to play fourth-seeded Johnson County (52-12) at 1 p.m. Monday. Blinn dropped into the losers' bracket with a 17-9 loss to Lake Land on Saturday. Johnson County fell to McLennan Community College 14-7 but bounced back to defeat Eastern Oklahoma State 14-13.
Blinn had a long day Saturday.
Blinn led 5-1 after five innings, but Lake Land College tied it with four runs in the sixth inning. Blinn went back ahead 6-5 in the bottom of the inning, but it was all the Lakers after that. Lake Land College scored on a wild pitch to tie it at 6 and Drew DuPoint followed with a grand slam. Lake Land added more two runs in the eighth inning and five more in the ninth inning with Shariff Colon hitting a two-run homer.
"Lake Land made it tough on us; it felt like every time they needed a big hit, they got it," Blinn coach Dusty Hart said. "We had our own chances to break it open early, but we had some loose at bats where we took some big strikeouts, and Lake didn't, which I thought was the big difference in the game."
Blinn had 16 hits as Gonzalez was 6 for 6 with a solo homer and three runs batted in. Gonzalez tied the tourney record for hits in a game set by Walters State's Tary Scott in 1984.
"I'm having a lot of mixed emotions right now," Gonzalez said. "What happened tonight is amazing, but we did lose, and to be honest with you, I just want to focus on Sunday already."
Quintanar and Fryman each had two hits. Ferraro walked three times.
The ninth-seeded Lakers (43-19) had 21 hits with everyone in the starting lineup contributing, including eight of them having multiple hits. DuPont had three hits and drove in five runs.
Lake Land used three pitchers and Blinn five with all allowing runs except for Blinn's Ryan Hanks who got the last two outs in the ninth inning. Blinn starter Brok Eddy (10-4) took the loss.
The game lasted 3 hours, 44 minutes after the first pitch came at 10:25 p.m. local time. It was delayed almost three hours because the earlier games went longer.
In Sunday's other game, sixth-seeded Florence-Darlington Tech (52-10) defeated fifth-seeded Shelton State (48-13) in six innings 16-4.
In other Saturday action, top-seeded Walters State Community College (56-6-1) needed a ninth-inning, walk-off single for a 11-10 victory over 10th-seeded Eastern Oklahoma State. Florida SouthWestern was blasted by eighth-seeded South Lake College 16-2 in seven innings.
Monday's other games are Lake Land vs. Salt Lake at 9 a.m. and McLennan (45-16) vs. Walters State at 6 p.m.
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Robert Cessna
Executive Sports Editor
Author email Follow Robert Cessna Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today