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Thirteen Buccaneer baseball players sign with four-year universities

Blinn finished the season one game shy of the Junior College World Series
Credit: Deaver, Colin

BRENHAM, Texas — After leading the Buccaneers to a second-place finish in the 2019 NJCAA Region XIV Baseball Tournament, 13 Blinn College baseball players will continue their academic and athletic careers at four-year universities.

Shortstop Cameron Gibbons (Houston) and pitcher Jacob Millender (Houston) signed with Texas State University, pitcher Ryan Day (San Antonio) signed with Colorado Mesa University, pitcher Jackson Leath (Waxahachie) signed with the University of Tennessee, outfielder Blake Faecher (Cypress) signed with Sam Houston State University, infielder Gray Rodgers (Dallas) signed with Texas Christian University, catcher Alec Sanchez (Waxahachie) signed with the University of New Mexico, outfielder Reggie McCalister (League City) signed with the University of Houston, third baseman Jake Miller (Round Rock) signed with Houston Baptist University, pitcher Henry Bird (Alvin) signed with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, pitcher Brandon Symmank (Cypress) signed with Texas A&M University-Kingsville, pitcher Richard Gilbert (San Antonio) signed with The University of Texas at San Antonio, and pitcher Judson Schaper (Texas City) signed with The University of Texas at Tyler.

“We are very proud of these young men as student-athletes for their efforts both on and off the field,” said Harvey McIntyre, Blinn head coach. “They displayed great leadership and were very persistent in their efforts every day."

“The sophomores helped us win 70 games during their time here. We can’t thank this group enough for their commitment to our program and look forward to following them next spring.”

Blinn posted a 33-22 overall record last season and earned the No. 2 seed in the Region XIV South Zone Division with a 20-15 conference record.

Gibbons, Day, and Jackson Leath each earned all-conference honors this season. Gibbons led the Buccaneers and was sixth in the conference in batting average (.343), and led Blinn with 59 hits and 24 RBIs. Day led Blinn and was third in the conference with a 2.05 ERA and finished first on the team and sixth in the conference with 81 strikeouts. He also led the Buccaneers with a 5-4 record. Leath finished the season with a 5-2 record and posted a 2.93 ERA while striking out 61.

Faecher hit .282 and drove in 32 runs, Rodgers batted .264 and recorded 20 runs, and Sanchez recorded 41 hits in 152 at-bats to maintain a .270 batting average. McCalister recorded 32 hits and 38 runs in 126 at-bats, while Miller recorded 36 hits and 27 runs in 153 at-bats.

Millender wrapped up the season with a 5-1 record and was second on the team with 68 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings, while Bird posted three wins and struck out 28 in 34 1/3 innings. Symmank threw 5 1/3 innings, Gilbert threw four innings, while Schaper tossed one inning for the Buccaneers.

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