BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College softball continued their solid play by sweeping a doubleheader from Alvin Community College by the scores of 9-1 and 8-0 as both games ended early by the mercy rule in the sixth inning Saturday afternoon at Hohlt Park.
“Two conference wins are always good and Colleen Bentke and Sam Junkin both pitched well today,” said Rick Church, Blinn head coach. “We had great offensive and defensive support as well.”
With the sweep, the Buccaneers have now won 12 consecutive games and improve to 27-11 overall and 13-1 in Region XIV play.
Blinn 9 – Alvin 1
Shelby Achille and Emily Noah dominated in the middle of the order and brought in three runs each to lead Blinn to a 9-1 victory over Alvin in six innings to open the doubleheader.
Achille hit a double and a single to bring in her three runs while Noah only had a single but brought in three runs. Amy Alexander hit a towering two-run home run while Alyssa Hitt brought in a run and hit a single while Gabriela Gomez hit a double and a single in the win.
Colleen Bentke pitched all six innings to pick up the win in the circle by allowing just one earned run on three hits and striking out four.
Alvin was able to strike first with a single run in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Alvin lead didn’t last too long as Blinn went to work in the second inning when Alexander singled to start it off and Abby Olejniczak came on as a pinch runner. Olejniczak scored on an RBI ground out by Hitt to tie the game up at 1-1.
The Buccaneers broke the game open in the third as Nicole Garcia started it off with a bunt single and then came around to score after a sacrifice fly hit to the fence in left by Noah for a 2-1 lead. Alexander followed by lining a two-run home run to center for a 4-1 edge.
Blinn kept the pressure on in the fourth inning as Hitt and Garcia each singled to get on base and both scored after a two-run double down the third base line for a 6-1 lead. Noah followed with an RBI single up the middle for a 7-1 edge.
The Buccaneers looked to end the game a bit early in the sixth inning as Achille brought in the eighth run with a single and then Noah sealed the victory with a sacrifice fly to right to score Kalli Edwards for a 9-1 lead that would end the game by the mercy rule.
Blinn 8 – Alvin 0
Sam Junkin gave up six hits in six innings to shutout Alvin while Katy Sawyer knocked in a couple runs as Blinn beat Alvin 8-0 in six innings to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Junkin picked up the win in the circle while striking out one and walking just two.
Sawyer hit a pair of doubles and brought in two runs. Achille, Makalah Norman and Olejniczak each had an RBI in the win while Gomez added a double.
Blinn put together a big inning in the second and it started after the first two batters were retired. Gomez started the inning with a two-out double and then came it to score after Sawyer pulled a double down the third base line for a 1-0 lead. Norman followed by pushing an RBI single to right for a 2-0 edge.
Norman and Morgan Gray each scored on an Alvin error for a 4-0 lead. Achille brought in a run with an RBI single for the fifth run and then Edwards was able to score on an error for a 6-0 advantage.
After three scoreless innings, Blinn looked to close out the game a bit early in the sixth as Alexander singled to begin the inning and Hitt came on as a pinch runner. Hitt later scored on a RBI double to left by Sawyer for a 7-0 lead. Olejniczak ended the game early with a line drive RBI single to left to give the Buccaneers an 8-0 victory.
Blinn will next play at Lamar State College – Port Arthur on Friday, April 7 for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
The Blinn College Alumni & Friends and Lettermen’s Association honored coach Church for his 800th coaching victory between games.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
