GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Dusty Hart told his team before Saturday's national championship game to have fun and play the game.
The Blinn Buccaneers did just that, claiming the first Alpine Bank Junior College World Series title in program history, 12-5 over Northwest Florida State in front of 11,341 fans at Suplizio Field.

Hart became a two-time national champion coach — he led Grayson to the 2008 Alpine Bank Junior College World Series title and when he took over at Blinn, told his team the goal was to win the title for Brenham.

It happened the way the Bucs (47-17) won all week, with hitting, pitching and defense.

Lucas Davenport, who came in to close their elimination game on Thursday night to get the Bucs to the semifinals, threw a complete game, striking out eight and was selected the tournament's outstanding pitcher. Davenport went 3-0, winning both of his starts and the one in relief.

Every Buc got a hit in the game, with Tanner Reaves leading the way with a 4-for-5 performance, driving in three runs. He hit one of the two home runs in the game, with the Raiders' Jaquae Stewart hitting the other.

Teams combined to hit 70 out of Suplizio Field during the week, only one off the tournament record.

Blinn scored twice in the first inning, opening the game with three straight doubles, and four more runs came across in the second. Northwest Florida (40-15) cut the lead to 6-4 after three innings, but Blinn, as it did all week, just kept hitting. It was 10-4 after the sixth, but reliever Mack Estrada shut the Bucs down from the sixth through the eighth innings, retiring 10 straight batters, striking out nine of them in a row.

Stewart's home run over the scoreboard in the eighth gave the Raiders a spark, but Blinn added two more in the top of the ninth, squeezing home one run.

Blinn finished with 18 hits, including six doubles. Connor McGinnis drove in three runs and Cade Climie, who was named the tournament's outstanding hitter, had two.

Climie, who finished the tournament hitting .556 with a 1.259 slugging percentage, five home runs and 17 RBI, also received the first Kirby Puckett Memorial MVP award.

All-Tournament Team
IF: Colby Jones, Northwest Florida St.
IF: Cade Climie, Blinn
IF: Jaquae Stewart, Northwest Florida St.
IF: Connor McGinnis, Blinn
OF: Tanner Reaves, Blinn
OF: Chase Williams, Northwest Florida
OF: Devin Mitchell, Florence-Darlington
C: Rom Kellis, Florence-Darlington
C: Bryce Hubbard, Northwest Florida
P: Lucas Davenport, Blinn
P: Mack Estrada, NW Florida
DH: Caden Ferraro, Blinn

Robert Purkey, Jr., Outstanding Pitcher
Lucas Davenport, Blinn

Jay W. Tolman Outstanding Defensive Player
Tony Vernars, Blinn

Homa Thomas Sportsmanship Award
Dash O’Neill & Georgia Highlands

Debbie Hamilton All-In Award
Dash O'Neill, Georgia Highlands

Bus Bergman Coach of the Tournament
Dusty Hart, Blinn

Kirby Puckett Memorial MVP
Cade Climie, Blinn