TEMPLE, Texas – No. 11 Blinn College softball did not start the Temple College Softball Tournament the way it would have liked by losing 10-2 to No. 5 Salt Lake Community College but the Buccaneers recovered by beating McLennan Community College 7-6 and Labette Community College 5-1 Friday in Temple.
By closing out the day with two straight wins, Blinn improved to 10-9 overall in the third weekend of the season.
Salt Lake 10 – Blinn 2
Blinn had a hard time stopping Salt Lake from scoring and could only muster two runs in the 10-2 loss in five innings.
Nicole Garcia did have a good opening game by going 2 for 3 with a home run and a single while knocking in both Buccaneer runs. Courtney White and Kalli Edwards had the only other hits for Blinn as the Buccaneers could only earn four total hits in the loss.
Blinn 7 – McLennan 6
The Buccaneers recovered from the Salt Lake game by jumping out to a 7-3 lead over McLennan. Blinn was able to hold on as McLennan got to within a run but the Buccaneers escaped with the slim victory.
Meghann Wrinkle was a big run-supplier with a 2 for 4 game at the plate with a home run and a double while knocking in three runs. Lauren Silver brought in two runs with a single and a double. Katy Sawyer and Katie Andrie each had an RBI in the victory. Sam Junkin got the win in the circle by going five and one-third innings and allowing six runs. Bobbi Berkey came on late in the game and secured the final five outs on the rubber.
Blinn got off to a great start in the first inning when Garcia walked and then reached third after a double by Wrinkle. Andrie knocked in a run with a single through the left side of the infield for a 1-0 lead. Silver followed two batters later with a single to bring in Wrinkle and then Sawyer made the score 3-0 with a single to center.
McLennan leveled the game with a single run in the second and two in the third. After losing its lead, Blinn went right back after it in the fourth inning.
Seeley Orsak started the fourth by reaching on an error and Garcia followed with a single to set the table for Wrinkle who powered a three-run home run to center for a 6-3 lead. Silver nailed a double later in the inning to score Jordin Wilkins for an all-important seventh run.
The RBI by Silver proved to be the game-winner as McLennan scored three in the sixth to get within one run but Blinn held on for the win.
Blinn 5 – Labette 1
Blinn kept the momentum going in the third game of the day by jumping out to a 5-0 lead in five innings and held on for a 5-1 victory to end the day with a 2-1 record.
Wrinkle had a home run against Labette and brought in two runs to total five RBI on the day. Wilkins also hit a solo home run and a double to help fuel the Buccaneers’ victory. Faith Genoway pitched a gem by going all seven innings for the win and only allowed three hits and a single run while striking out eight.
Orsak got the scoring started in the third when she reached on an error and then later came around to score for a 1-0 lead. Wilkins doubled the lead with a solo home run to left to give the Buccaneers a 2-0 lead.
Blinn scored the remainder of its runs in the fifth as Orsak touched the plate again after singling to get on base and then scoring on a single by Garcia for a 3-0 lead. Wrinkle added a pair of runs in with a home to left for a 5-0 lead. Labette scored one in the seventh inning but Blinn had more than enough cushion to secure the victory.
The Buccaneers will play two more games in the Temple College Softball Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 20 starting with Indian Hills Community College at 9 a.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
