Blinn College softball split a pair of ballgames on day two of the National Preview Tournament on Saturday in Oxford, Ala.
The Buccaneers rallied for a dramatic 7-5 walk-off win over Marion Military Institute before dropping a 9-1 decision (six innings) to No. 2 Northwest Florida State College.
“We had another good come-from-behind win in game one, but in game two we couldn’t get on track offensively and a few mistakes on defense sealed our fate,” Blinn head coach Rick Church said. “It’s time to regroup against Chattanooga State and Wallace State.”
Blinn (10-6-1) went back-and-forth with Marion in Saturday’s opener, and went into the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 5-4.
Freshman Haley Hughes singled with one out and sophomore Erynne Castillo followed with a walk before a strikeout sent sophomore Alyssa Boozy to the plate with two outs. Boozy sent the first pitch she saw over the wall in center field to give the Bucs the win.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Alyssa Boozy)
Boozy, Hughes, and sophomore Ripley Welker each had two hits. Sophomore Madyson Henley singled and plated two runs, sophomore Alayna Calvillo doubled and drove in a run, and Hughes had a double to go with an RBI.
Freshman pitcher Bella De Los Santos earned her third victory of the tournament – all in relief – with an inning of scoreless work. Sophomore Peyton Welker allowed five runs (three earned) in six innings. He gave up eight hits, walked three, and struck out six in settling for the no-decision.
In their second game of the day, the Bucs stumbled in a loss to Northwest Florida State.
The Raiders held an early 1-0 lead, but broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning.
(Pictured: Blinn freshman Bella De Los Santos)
Blinn got on the board in the top of the fifth frame when Hughes singled to left to bring home freshman Kayden Harms.
The Bucs finished with five hits.
Freshman pitcher Paige Bunting took the loss for Blinn after allowing six earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and five walks in four innings.
The Bucs finish the Preview with a pair of matchups Sunday, Feb. 25. They will face 11th-ranked Chattanooga State Community College at 10 a.m. before taking on No. 3 Wallace State Community College-Hanceville at noon.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
