PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The Blinn College softball team split a doubleheader with Lamar State College-Port Arthur after both games went into extra innings on the road Monday.
The Buccaneers opened the doubleheader with a 5-3 win in nine innings. Then, the Seahawks bounced back for a 7-6 victory in eight innings.
With the split, the Buccaneers are now 15-15 overall and 9-5 in conference play.
“It was good to get the first game, but overall, we didn’t have enough intensity today,” head coach Rick Church said.
Blinn 5 – Lamar State-Port Arthur 3
The Buccaneers sealed a 5-3 win in nine innings to open the doubleheader.
Renna Toomey earned the win in the circle after pitching a complete game and not allowing an earned run. She struck out 10 and only gave up five hits in nine innings.
Shaelyn Sanders went 4-for-5 and scored one run, and Samantha Rodriguez and Toomey each had three hits, drove in two runs, and scored one run in the win. Emily Murphy had two hits and drove in one run, while Keely Castillo scored two runs.
After three scoreless innings, Lamar State-Port Arthur grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
However, Blinn answered back with three runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. After Chloe Woodward and Castillo drew walks, Toomey hit a two-run double to even the score. Rodriguez kept things rolling with a one-run single for Blinn to lead.
In the sixth inning, the Seahawks evened the score 3-3 and it remained tied until the ninth when the Buccaneers scored two runs. Castillo opened the inning with a single, then scored on a double by Rodriguez. Blinn extended its lead to 5-3 when Rodriguez scored on a fielder’s choice.
Lamar State-Port Arthur 7 – Blinn 6
The Seahawks managed to rally back for a 7-6 win in eight innings to close out the doubleheader.
Castillo and Natilee Reed each recorded three hits and scored one run, while Chandler Talbot and Woodward each recorded two hits and scored one run. Rodriguez led Blinn with two runs, Acie Prince drove in two runs, and Sanders and Skylar Shanahan each knocked in one run.
Nevada Dolnik only surrendered three earned runs and struck out four in six innings of work.
Blinn took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Castillo singled and then scored on Shanahan’s double. Then, the Seahawks evened the score 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
The Buccaneers pulled ahead 2-1 in the second inning when Rodriguez scored on Prince’s sacrifice fly. Then, Lamar State-Port Arthur tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third.
A four-run fourth inning put Blinn on top 6-2. Rodriguez scored on an error to start things off, then Reed scored on Prince’s second sacrifice fly of the game. Talbot scored Blinn’s fifth run on an error, then Woodward scored on Talbot’s single for the four-run lead.
The Seahawks rallied for one run in the fifth inning and scored three runs in the seventh inning to tie the game. Lamar State-Port Arthur walked off with the win after scoring one run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Next, the Buccaneers will host Alvin Community College in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 21, starting at 2 p.m. at Hohlt Park.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
