Another dazzling performance from sophomore pitcher Peyton Welker highlighted day one of the Highlander Classic for the Blinn College softball team Friday in Waco, Texas.
Welker tossed a scoreless shutout in game one to help the Buccaneers to a 9-0 victory over Howard College before tournament host and sixth-ranked McLennan Community College topped Blinn 3-0 in game two.
Welker has now tossed 20 consecutive scoreless frames as she lowered her earned run average to 1.81. Against Howard, she gave up five hits and walked five, but worked around trouble with 14 strikeouts in her third complete game of the spring. She is now 4-1 on the season.
Blinn (6-3-1) cruised as its offense produced 14 hits to back Welker, with most of the damage coming in the final two innings.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore pitcher Peyton Welker)
The Bucs held a 2-0 edge heading into the sixth frame but pulled away with four runs. Blinn scored three more in the seventh.
Sophomore Alyssa Boozy doubled as part of a three-hit day to go with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Sophomore Erynne Castillo tripled and drove in a run during a two-hit performance, and sophomores Ripley Welker and Alayna Calvillo also had a pair of hits. Ripley Welker tripled and drove in two runs, while Calvillo also finished with an RBI. Freshman Kayden Harms went 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Freshman Darian DeLeon singled and plated a run for the Bucs.
Blinn was on the losing end of a shutout in its second game of the day.
Freshman pitcher Paige Bunting was effective across six innings of work, but the Buccaneer offense was unable to duplicate its efforts from game one. Bunting allowed three unearned runs on five hits with four walks and three punchouts.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore pitcher Alyssa Boozy)
Blinn managed just seven singles. Freshman Haley Hughes went 3 for 3 and Boozy finished with two hits.
The Bucs will finish play in the Classic with a tilt against McLennan at 10 a.m. and a bout against Howard at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
