PORT ARTHUR, Texas – Runs were hard to come by in both games for Blinn College softball but a huge RBI single from Alivia Villareal helped the Buccaneers beat Lamar State College – Port Arthur 2-1 in the second game of the doubleheader Friday afternoon.
Port Arthur picked up a 2-1 victory in the doubleheader opener to split the pair. With the split, Blinn moves to 28-12 overall and 14-2 in Region XIV play.
Port Arthur 2 – Blinn 1
Blinn struggled to score all game against Port Arthur but was able to tie the game up in the seventh only to see Port Arthur come away with a 2-1 victory in the bottom of the inning to open the doubleheader with a win.
Nicole Garcia had the lone RBI with a double while Amy Alexander also added a double. Kalli Edwards hit a pair of singles in the loss as Blinn outhit Port Arthur 8-5 in the opening game.
Colleen Bentke pitched well enough to get a win in most games as she went 6 1-3 innings and allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out five.
Port Arthur scored a single run in the third and led 1-0 until start the seventh inning. Blinn got something going in the final inning when Katy Sawyer started it off with a double. Pinch runner Alyssa Hitt came in for Sawyer and scored on an RBI double by Garcia to left to tie up the game at 1-1. Unforunately, Port Arthur scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh to win the opening game.
Blinn 2 – Port Arthur 1
Blinn found itself in another tie game late against Port Arthur but the Buccaneers got a game-winning single from Villareal in the sixth to pick up a 2-1 victory to salvage a split of the doubleheader.
Villareal picked up the game-winning hit in her only at-bat. Emily Taylor had the other RBI for the Buccaneers.
Sam Junkin started the game in the circle and pitched 4 1-3 innings and only allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out three in the no-decision. Kamryn Boucher came on to pitch the final 2 2-3 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out four to get the win.
Blinn was able to strike first in the second inning after Amy Alexander started the inning with a walk and Abby Olejniczak came on as a pinch runner. Olejniczak later scored after a sacrifice fly to right by Taylor for a 1-0 lead. Port Arthur later tied the game at 1-1 with a single run in the fifth inning.
The game didn’t stay tied for long as Villareal came up with a huge RBI single to left to score Edwards for a 2-1 lead that would hold up until the final out.
Blinn will be back home on Monday, April 10 with a non-conference doubleheader against Angelina College beginning at 2 p.m. at Hohlt Park.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.