BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College softball didn’t see the seventh inning in either of its games against Laredo Community College as the Buccaneers picked up the sweep by the score of 9-1 and 11-3 March 14 at Hohlt Park in Brenham.
Blinn won the first game in the fifth inning and then completed the sweep with a mercy rule win in the sixth inning to remain undefeated in conference play at 4-0 and its overall record moves to 20-8. The sweep over Laredo gives Blinn its eighth consecutive victory overall.
“We were a little sloppy at times but we found a way to win,” said Blinn head coach Rick Church.
The bats were going for Blinn in both games but pitching also did its part. Mariah Gibson pitched five innings in the first game and struck out eight while allowing a single run. Jaiden Rawls pitched the second game and went six innings and struck out six while only allowing three runs in the win.
In the first game Gibson hit a home run and knocked in three runs while Kayla Lahrmann had a pair of doubles and knocked in two runs.
Scoring got started quickly for Blinn in the first inning as Alli Spivey reached on an error and she got to trot home after Gibson hit a home run to left for a 2-0 lead. The scoring continued in the third when Jordin Wilkins drew a walk with one out and then two batters later, Courtney White blooped a single to right for a 3-0 advantage.
Laredo did get a single run in the fourth but Blinn got that run back in the bottom half. Avery Mullendore walked to begin the fourth and then was able to score after a ground out by Delilah Pacheco for a 4-1 lead.
Blinn blew the game open in the fifth and did enough to end the game early. Wilkins started it with a triple and was brought in by a Gibson single for the fifth run. Seely Orsak brought in a run with a sacrifice fly and then Lahrmann brought in a pair with a double to left to make the score 8-1. Pinch hitter Cheyenne Trader came on and ended the game with a double to clinch the 9-1 victory.
In the second game, Rawls added a lot of run support for herself by knocking in five runs with the help of two home runs. Pacheco did a good job of getting on base with four singles, two runs and an RBI while Orsak hit a double, single and scored twice in the victory.
“I was just focusing on trying to hit the holes and hitting it hard to get on base so my teammates can bring me in,” Pacheco said after the second game. “When we see pitching like this we try to take advantage of it and try and get as many hits as we can.”
Laredo did come out with a single run in the first but Blinn would take back the lead in the bottom half. Pacheco started with a single and Mullendore tied the game with a double to score Pacheco. Rawls gave the Buccaneers the lead with a home run to give Blinn a 3-1 lead after one.
Laredo added a run in the second inning to get within 3-2 but Blinn answered back in the third inning with back to back home runs by Gibson and Rawls for a 5-2 lead after three.
Laredo scored for the final time in the fourth inning to get within 5-3 but then Blinn would roll from there. Pacheco singled to begin the fourth and came around to score on an error for a 6-3 lead.
Orsak started the fifth with a double and later scored and then Rawls added a two-run double to give Blinn a 9-3 lead after five innings. With a chance to end the game early, Orsak singled in a run as did Pacheco to clinch the 11-3 win and sweep Laredo.
Blinn will again be at home March 15 against Coastal Bend College for a double-header that begins at 1 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 30 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.
