Bella De Los Santos didn’t always have her best stuff Saturday.
The important thing was that the Blinn College freshman pitcher had it when it mattered most.
De Los Santos played escape artist during a sixth-inning jam in game one of Saturday’s Region XIV twin bill between the Buccaneers and Angelina College, and slammed the door in the seventh to help Blinn earn the 14-10 victory before it finished off the two-game sweep with a 9-8 extra-innings win at the Blinn Softball Field in Brenham, Texas.
Though De Los Santos was unable to replicate her heroics in game two of the region doubleheader, her efforts in the opener were key to the sweep.
After Blinn (20-12-1, 5-3 Region XIV) rallied for two runs in the home half of the fifth inning to make it a 10-all ballgame, the Roadrunners were poised to retake the lead in the top of the sixth. Sophomore starting pitcher Peyton Welker – who exited the game in the first inning before reentering in the top of the fourth – saw her day come to an end in the sixth when she allowed a one-out single that loaded the bases.
De Los Santos took the circle and promptly used a knee-buckling changeup to strike out the first two Roadrunners she faced and end the threat. The first-year right-hander retired Angelina in order in the seventh.
“My approach was just to control what I could control,” De Los Santos. “I decided I was just going to pitch the way I know how to pitch, and that’s by using my off-speed pitch. I decided I was going to attack their hitters with the off-speed because that’s sort of my thing – it’s my best pitch – and it worked out.”
(Pictured: Blinn freshman pitcher Bella De Los Santos fires to the plate during a game against Angelina College on March 23, 2024)
Blinn backed De Los Santos with four runs in the bottom of the sixth as she improved her record to 5-3 on the season.
The winning rally started when freshman Bailey Boetjer led off with a single and freshman Kayden Harms was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Ripley Welker followed with the game-winning RBI when she smacked a single to center field. Freshman Grace Bracken added a line-drive two-run double to give Blinn a three-run lead and sophomore Erynne Castillo closed out the scoring with an RBI single of her own.
The Bucs finished with 18 hits, led by a 4-for-4 showing for freshman Haley Hughes. Hughes had two RBIs and scored four runs. Ripley Welker finished with three hits, including a double; Castillo had two hits, two walks, two runs, and two RBIs; sophomore Alayna Calvillo had two hits and drove in four runs; Bracken finished with a pair of hits; and sophomore Alyssa Boozy had a two-run double.
“It was back-and-forth with a bunch of runs in both games,” Blinn head coach Rick Church said. “I’m glad we persevered and came out with two much-needed conference wins.”
In game two, De Los Santos started and worked 2 1/3 innings, but exited after allowing four earned runs on five hits. She struck out three and walked two.
After freshman Paige Bunting worked five innings of long relief, Peyton Welker returned with one out in the top of the eighth inning and set down the final two Angelina hitters. Peyton Welker was awarded the win and improved to 11-3 on the year.
Blinn completed the sweep with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
(Pictured: Blinn freshman Grace Bracken dances on the bag after doubling during a game against Angelina College on March 23, 2024)
With the bases empty freshman Darian DeLeon walked, and Bracken lined a double to left field to bring DeLeon to the plate. DeLeon narrowly beat the throw to the plate to score the winning tally.
Hughes finished the game 4 for 5 with an RBI; DeLeon went 4 for 4 with three RBIs; Calvillo went 3 for 5; and Castillo and Boozy had two hits apiece. Castillo, Boozy, Boetjer, and Harms each drove in one run.
Blinn was originally scheduled to resume its season with a home doubleheader against Tyler Junior College on Monday, March 25, but an unfavorable forecast has forced a shift in the Bucs’ schedule. The two teams will now battle on Monday, April 15, in Brenham. Up next for Blinn will be a region twin bill against visiting Alvin Community College starting 1 p.m. on Friday, March 29, in Brenham.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
