Baseball 2/6/2026 11:02:00 PM

Following tough opener, No. 2 Blinn rebounds for doubleheader split with Amarillo

The Buccaneers conclude their three-game set with the Badgers on Saturday

Baseball 2/6/2026 11:02:00 PM

Following tough opener, No. 2 Blinn rebounds for doubleheader split with Amarillo

The Buccaneers conclude their three-game set with the Badgers on Saturday

The second-ranked Blinn College baseball team split the first two games of a three-game series with Amarillo College on Friday at Leroy Dreyer Field in Brenham, Texas.

Amarillo rallied for a 3-1 victory in game one (seven innings) before the Buccaneers bounced back for a 5-3 triumph in game two.

Blinn is now 3-2 on the season.
"It was definitely tough losing the first game the way we did, but you have to give Amarillo credit," Bucs head coach Dusty Hart said, "because they got the big hits when they needed them today and matched us on the mound.

"I was happy to see how we responded after that and it was great to come back and do the job in game two."

In game one, redshirt freshman pitcher Luke Ekdall made just his second collegiate start and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning.

It wasn't until Ekdall (0-2) gave up a one-out single that Hart ended the right-hander's day. He was charged with two earned runs on one hit and walked two while striking out 11. Ekdall departed with the Bucs leading 1-0.

"He threw great today," Hart said. "There are still little things he needs to clean up, but he's done the job we've asked him to do in his two starts this season and has given us a chance to win. Hopefully we'll get a victory under his belt sooner rather than later."

After Ekdall's exit, sophomore right-hander Hudson Melaerts came on with runners on first and second. He walked the bases loaded before fanning the next Badger he faced, but Amarillo got a two-run single that just dropped in front of Bucs left fielder Reece Lunsford.

Amarillo added an insurance run on an error to close out the scoring.

The Bucs finished with five hits, including two for sophomore first baseman Drew Britton.

Blinn's run came on sophomore center fielder Kason Atkins' RBI single in the sixth.

The Bucs rebounded in game two behind a stellar start from sophomore Hayden Morris.

The flame-throwing righty worked six innings of one-run ball in which he surrendered just four hits and one walk to go with six punchouts.

Morris is now 2-0 on the year and improved to 13-0 during his time with Blinn.

"Hayden was really good today; he landed all of his pitches and was super aggressive in the strike zone," said Hart. "I was glad we were able to get him the win."

Redshirt freshman Landon Bowden tossed the final three innings and gave up two earned runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Offensively, the Bucs made up for a tough first outing with a nice second effort.

They opened a five-run lead with a single tally in the second frame and two more in both the third and fourth innings.

After Atkins doubled with one gone in the second, Lunsford drove him in with a single.

In the third, freshman Zachary Tuxhorn continued his hot start to the season with a two-run home run. He finished 2 for 3 and is now 9 of 15 (.600 batting average) in four games played.

Sophomore shortstop Jacob Bohacek added a two-run shot in the fourth to make it 5-0.

The Bucs produced 10 hits, led by a 3-for-4 outing for Atkins. Blinn also drew eight walks.

"We got back to our regular approach in the second game," Hart explained. "We took pitches that led to walks, we passed the bat, and we didn't try to do too much.

"We are a young team, and with youth comes learning and making some mistakes. The good thing is the guys are growing from it and I think we saw some of that in game two."

Amarillo got to Morris for one run in the sixth and tacked on two against Bowden in the seventh.

With two outs in the ninth, Bowden allowed a single, hit a batter, and issued a walk before inducing a ground out to second base to escape the jam.

The series between the Bucs and the Badgers concludes with a noon showdown Saturday at Leroy Dreyer Field.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.

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