Playing for the first time since Feb. 24, the Buccaneers (11-5) earned a 10-2 run-rule victory over the Highlassies in game one (six innings) before falling 8-4 in game two.

Blinn head coach Rick Church said he was proud of the way his team responded to the weather-induced layoff, and was equally impressed with the way his team answered being run-ruled by McLennan during their first meeting on Feb. 18.

(Pictured: Blinn College freshman Alayna Calvillo makes contact with a pitch during a game against McLennan Community College on March 8)

“We talked before the game today and told our team that it was time to go out and make a statement,” Church said. “We certainly did that in the first game, and in game two, we never gave up. I was really proud of the way we competed and I’m happy with the split.”

Blinn rallied out of a 2-0 deficit in game one, tying the contest with two runs in the third inning before going ahead with a four-run fourth frame.

Sophomore Madeline Stephenson singled and scored on an error following a single by freshman Alayna Calvillo in the second inning. Alayna took third on the error and crossed the plate when sophomore Emily Kristynik singled to center to make it 2-all.

In the fourth, freshman Madison Dorrow doubled on a line drive to left field to drive in freshman Ripley Welker. Stephenson plated Dorrow with a single. Blinn’s lead grew to 6-2 when Kristynik singled in freshman Erynne Castillo and Calvillo.

In the home half of the sixth, Stephenson and Calvillo singled, and after a Kristynik RBI single made it 7-2, sophomore Skylar Shanahan sent a three-run walk-off home run over the wall in left field.

“I was confident in myself, I knew my team was confident in me, and I just wanted to get it done for them,” Shanahan said. “I was just waiting on my pitch, and the pitcher gave me that pitch and I sent it out.”

Blinn finished with 13 hits, left by a three-hit, four-RBI performance for Kristynik. Shanahan finished with three RBIs. Calvillo and Welker had two hits apiece. Calvillo also scored three runs.

The Bucs made a winner out of freshman pitcher Peyton Welker, who tossed a complete game and improved to 4-1 on the year. Welker allowed two earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.

(Pictured: Blinn College freshman pitcher Peyton Welker delivers a pitch during a game against McLennan Community College on March 8)

“I knew my offense and defense had my back, so it was really easy to just stay calm out there,” said Welker. “I was in a few jams, but it came down to trusting myself, my coaches, and my teammates, and the hard work I’ve put in.”

In the finale, the Highlassies got going early with a two-run first inning and never surrendered their lead.

Blinn scored one run in the bottom of the first on a Shanahan sacrifice fly, and made it 5-2 in the fourth with an RBI single off the bat of Dorrow. 

McLennan tallied three runs in the top of the fifth.

A Shanahan single in the home half of the fifth scored Calvillo, and the Bucs added one more on a Shanahan RBI groundout in the seventh.

(Pictured: Blinn College freshman Ripley Welker runs toward home plate and scores during a game against McLennan Community College on March 8)

The Bucs tallied nine hits, including two apiece for Calvillo, Dorrow, and Kristynik.

Sophomore pitcher Chloee Mason was tagged with the loss following 2 1/3 innings of work. She allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits with a walk. 

Blinn will hit the road this weekend to face Tyler Junior College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, in Tyler, Texas.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.