Rick Church sees a competitive fire spreading throughout the Blinn College softball team, and he and the Buccaneers are ready to fan the flames.
“When we’re shaking hands at the end of a game this season, saying, ‘Well, we played a good game,’ isn’t going to be good enough for this team,” the Buccaneers’ longtime head coach said. “We’ll lose some tough ones, but more times than not you want to be the ones saying, ‘We got the win and you didn’t.’ The girls are absolutely ready to be that team.”
Blinn begins the 2024 season with a home doubleheader against No. 18 Bossier Parish Community College at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2, at the Blinn Softball Field at Hohlt Park in Brenham, Texas. The Bucs were originally scheduled to start their year at the Island Invitational on Jan. 26, but rain cancelled the two-day competition in Galveston, Texas.
Blinn will open play looking to improve on last season’s 28-22 record, and Church believes he has the right mix of freshmen and returning sophomores to do so.
“Last year was a decent season for us and those freshmen who are now returning as sophomores,” said Church, who is in his 25th season at Blinn. “Now they are extremely focused on finishing more games in a positive way and finishing the season stronger, and it’s going to take everybody on this team to do so.”
In 2023, Blinn had 10 losses decided by two runs or less, including a pair of one-run defeats in the Region XIV Tournament. Sophomore pitcher Peyton Welker — the team’s current staff ace — said a better understanding of the physical and mental demands of the game have this season’s sophomore class prepared for the grind of a long season, lessons she says the second-year players are hammering home to the freshmen.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Peyton Welker returns after posting a 10-8 record with 73 strikeouts and a 3.55 earned run average in 2023)
“You have to be able to handle the 50 or 60 games we’re going to play and be ready to compete and win every single day,” Welker explained. “We’re trying to make it to nationals, and winning the mental side of the game is going to be key. Physically, we all bring skills to the game, so it’s just going to be our mental focus and building that team chemistry that will lift us up.”
Welker hopes to lead by example as the most experienced arm in what will be a four-person Buccaneer pitching staff this spring. Last season, she made 22 appearances (19 starts) while posting a 10-8 record with 73 strikeouts and a 3.55 earned run average in 98 2/3 innings. Sophomore Camdyn Shugart returns to the staff alongside Welker after appearing in six contests as a freshman. Joining the two sophomores will be freshmen Bella De Los Santos and Paige Bunting.
“Our contrast in terms of strengths between our pitchers will help us match up well against our opponents,” Church said. “We have power, but we also have really good off-speed stuff, and we’ll be in a position where any of our pitchers can throw an off-speed pitch when needed. That’s going to be huge with certain hitters in big matchups. Peyton will be looked upon to lead that group, but we’re confident in all four of them to get the job done.”
Offensively, Blinn has reloaded after graduating four key contributors from last season.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Alayna Calvillo is back this season after hitting .422 in 2023)
Setting the tone for the Bucs will be sophomore outfielders Alayna Calvillo and Erynne Castillo, who burst onto the scene in 2023 as a formidable one-two punch. Hitting primarily out of the leadoff position, Calvillo led the Bucs with 62 hits, 42 runs, and a .422 batting average while getting on base almost 49% of the time in 2023. Castillo contributed with a .337 average to go with 57 hits and 39 runs while also pacing the team with 19 stolen bases.
Sophomore first baseman/designated player Alyssa Boozy returns after hitting .382 (.418 on-base percentage) and could help make up for the departure of 21 home runs from 2023’s sophomore class. Church said the team could also find some pop in the bats of freshmen Bailey Boetjer (first base), Haley Hughes (catcher/outfield), Zaniah Coleman (infield), Darian DeLeon (outfield), and Grace Bracken (catcher/third base).
Sophomore catcher Madyson Henley also returns for her second season as she readies herself to assume a majority of the team’s defensive innings behind home plate. Church said Henley established herself both behind the plate and in the batter’s box during the fall exhibition season. Second-year infielders/outfielders Haley Ruster and Ripley Welker also are back after earning substantial playing time as freshmen.
“There is no doubt that everybody on this team can play,” Calvillo said. “What will bring us to that breakthrough point is our energy. We have the talent – it’s definitely there. But being strong on the mental side of the game for all seven innings is what will carry us. It starts with the sophomores, and we plan on leading through our words and our actions.”
Blinn’s offense is almost evenly balanced between right- and left-handers, giving Church plenty of options in terms of matchups and lineups.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Erynne Castillo hit .337 for the Buccaneers last season)
“I like to see a lot of lefties in the lineup, and the right-handed hitters bring good power,” Church said. “We can stack those lefties if we need to or sprinkle them throughout the lineup. I think it’s going to make us a lot tougher to face as an offense.”
The Buccaneers will be tested early and often this spring, beginning with Bossier Parish. Blinn’s schedule also features matchups against No. 2 Northwest Florida State College, No. 3 Wallace State Community College-Hanceville, No. 6 McLennan Community College, No. 11 Chattanooga State Community College, and No. 19 Galveston College.
Bossier Parish (North Division) and Galveston (South Division) are members of Blinn’s Region XIV Conference. The Bucs compete in the South.
Blinn kicks off its Region XIV slate on the road against Lamar State College-Port Arthur on Thursday, March 14.
“We want to see this group establish itself as a confident unit that can enjoy the game and enjoy the competition this game brings,” Church said. “You’re going to get enough reps in this game … swings, ground balls and fly balls, sprinting and lifting … but when you step between the lines to play, you want all of that training to pay off. Our girls are ready for the payoff from that work, and I can see it in them right now.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
