BRENHAM, Texas โ Blinn College softball played two completely different ball games March 12 against Galveston but the Buccaneers were able to come up on the winning end in both by the score of 3-1 and 8-5 at Hohlt Park in Brenham.
โWe had a lot of players come through today,โ said Blinn head coach Rick Church. โIt is just a good way to start conference and keeping our composure in the second game after being down 4-0.โ
The sweep of Galveston was the best way to open conference play at 2-0 and the overall record for Blinn now improves to 18-8.
It was the middle of the order stepping up for Blinn in the first game as Jordin Wilkins and Mariah Gibson each went 3-for-3 and knocked in all three runs in the opener. Gibson also pitched all seven innings and scattered seven hits and only allowed a single run in the first inning for the win.
That first inning was the only time Galveston would get a run as it started the game with a 1-0 lead after a half inning. The lead didnโt last long as Delilah Pacheco started the bottom of the first with a single and then came around to score on an RBI single by Wilkins to knot the game at 1-1 after an inning.
Wilkins helped to start a two-out rally in the third with a single and then Gibson followed that with a two-run home run over the fence in left-center for a 3-1 lead. That would be all the runs needed as Gibson faced a couple jams in the last four innings but denied Galveston from scoring another run in the win.
In the second game, it was Courtney White coming up big in pressure situations as she tied the game with a three-run home run and then brought in two more in the following inning with a single to bring in five of the eight runs in the victory.
โI like to take the pressure that I felt as a good thing and keep my composure and see the ball and hit the ball,โ White said after her big at bats.
Pacheco, Wilkins and Gibson each had two hits for the Buccaneers. Jaiden Rawls only had one bumpy inning in the second and then settled down after that to earn the win in the circle.
Galveston was able to jump out on top in the second inning with four runs but Blinn would chip away in the bottom half. Meghann Wrinkle drew a one-out walk and then Avery Mullendore lined a triple to right-center for the first run. Mullendore later was able to score to get the Buccaneers within 4-2 after the second.
Galveston added a single run in the fifth inning but Blinn would fight back in the bottom half. Gibson started it with a double and Rawls followed with a walk to get two runners on. Galveston went with a pitching change and White made the Whitecaps pay with a three-run bomb over the fence in center to tie the game up at 5-5 after five.
The momentum stayed with Blinn as Pacheco started the sixth with a walk and scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Rawls. White expanded the lead with a two-run single blooped to right-center for an 8-5 advantage. That would be more than enough for Rawls to close out the win for Blinn.
Blinn will play host again March 14 against Laredo Community College for a double-header that starts at 1 p.m. at Hohlt Park.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 30 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.
