The Blackburn College Baseball Team won in their final at-bats twice on Saturday afternoon in Carlinville as they swept a doubleheader from the Principia College Panthers by scores of 6-5 and 15-4.
In game one, Blayten Magana's two out single scored Tyler Durand with the winning run and then in game two, Durand blasted a two-run walkoff homerun to give the Beavers a 15-4 victory in a game that was shortened by the ten-run rule.
In game one the Beavers scored three runs to take a quick 3-0 lead, Brandon Smith tripled to lead off the inning and then scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Shane Lewis. Durand then singled and scored on an RBI double by Magana who then scored on an RBI hit by AJ Gill. Blackburn starting pitcher, freshman Sammy Gordon, was outstanding in the early going, shutting out Principia until the 5th. In the 6th inning, Principia rallied with four runs to take a 5-4 lead. After not scoring in the bottom of the 6th, Blackburn rallied for the win in the bottom of the 7th.
After two strikeouts, Lewis produced a two-strike single, advanced to second on a wild pitch then scored on a Durand double to right-center, which set the stage for Magana's walkoff single.
In game two, Blackburn starter Brady Wilkinson came out pumping strikes and retired the first 12 hitters he faced. Durand's first homerun of the game, a two-run shot in the 3rd gave the Beavers the lead. After Principia tied the game with two runs in the fifth, the Beavers erupted for a 9-run inning and jumped ahead 11-2. Lewis and Smith had two-run singles in the inning. The Beavers ended it in the bottom of the 7th on Durand's second homer of the game.
Blackburn is at home on Monday looking to extend the momentum as the Beavers host Westminster College in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.