PASADENA, Texas – No. 11 Blinn College softball overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat Iowa Western Community College 9-4 but that win was sandwiched by a 9-8 loss to Wallace State Community College-Hanceville and an 8-5 loss to Tyler Junior College to close out the San Jacinto College Tournament Saturday in Pasadena.
The 1-2 record on the day lowers the Buccaneers overall record to 8-8 after the second weekend of the season.
Blinn 9 – Iowa Western 4
Blinn overcame the early deficit to Iowa Western due to the big offensive game of Meghann Wrinkle who hit a triple, double and a single and knocked in two runs. Katie Andrie also brought in two runs with a home run and a single while Nicole Garcia picked up a pair of singles.
Sam Junkin picked up the win in the circle by pitching all seven innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits and striking out six.
Iowa Western jumped right on Blinn with two runs in the first inning. The Buccaneers were able to respond in the bottom of the first when Wrinkle hit a one-out double and was brought in by a double by Jordin Wilkins to cut the Iowa Western lead down to 2-1. Iowa Western did tack on two more runs in the second for a 4-1 advantage.
The Buccaneers went after the lead in the third when Garcia singled with one out and was brought in with a triple by Wrinkle to make the score 4-2. Andrie brought Blinn within one run with a single to center. Tori Gleason tied the game at 4-4 with a single and then Wilkins later came in to score to give Blinn a 5-4 lead.
The Buccaneers padded their lead in the following inning when Kalli Edwards started it with a walk and then Edwards later scored on a single by Wrinkle to center for a 6-4 lead. Gleason got the fifth started with a one-out single and she was brought in by an RBI single by Edwards for the seventh run. Garcia followed with a single to center for a commanding 8-4 lead.
Andrie added the finishing touch on the scoring for Blinn in the sixth with a solo home run to give the Buccaneers a 9-4 lead as Blinn would close out the game to win by five runs.
Wallace State 9 – Blinn 8
Blinn nearly came back to beat Wallace State in the opening game of the day. The Buccaneers trailed 9-3 heading into the final inning but Blinn was able to score five runs in the seventh. Unfortunately, Blinn needed six runs in the inning to extend the game and fell just short.
The Buccaneers did manage to outhit Wallace State 8-7 but came up just short on the scoreboard.
Garcia, Andrie and Courtney White each had two RBIs in the game. One of Andrie’s two hits was a double and Ashley Langston added a double in the loss.
Tyler 8 – Blinn 5
In the final game of the day against Tyler, Blinn again faced a deficit as the Buccaneers trailed 7-1 in the middle of the sixth inning. Blinn did score four runs in the sixth to make the game closer but Tyler was still able to hand Blinn a three-run loss.
Garcia had a big game against Tyler with a home run and a double to knock in three runs. Edwards knocked a double that brought in two runs. Gleason was the other Buccaneer that had a multi-hit day with two singles in the loss.
Blinn will next play in the 2016 Temple College Softball Tournament that begins Friday, Feb. 19 with a game against Salt Lake Community College at 9 a.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
