RAWLS TOSSES 2-HITTER AS BUCS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER

Blinn wins opener 3-1 but offense struggles in 6-0 loss

PASADENA, Texas – Freshman Jaiden Rawls tossed a two-hitter and the Blinn softball team split its doubleheader with San Jacinto College on Saturday.

The seventh-ranked Buccaneers took the first game 3-1 behind Rawls’ strong performance in the pitching circle, then dropped the second game 6-0.

“We were looking to close ground on Galveston and we didn’t do that today,” Blinn (20-8, 3-3 Region XIV) coach Rick Church said. “There are about three or four teams at .500 in conference and it was disappointing to not finish today.”

The Buccaneer offense gave Rawls plenty of run support early when Avery Mullendore knocked a two-run single to center field that scored Sydney Wellmann and Allie Prio in the top of the second. Mullendore, batting in the eight-hole, was 2-for-3 with two RBI in the first game.

Following a leadoff single by Taylor Guidry in the fourth, Carley Latta hit an RBI single to score Guidry to make it a 3-0 game.

Blinn struggled to create the same offense production in the second game. San Jacinto pitcher Bridget Stein held the Bucs to five hits, three from Delilah Pacheco.

“We couldn’t adjust at the plate,” Church said. “About 85 percent of the pitches we saw were curveballs. We needed to be patient and wait on a pitch and we didn’t.”

Blinn starting pitcher Mariah Gibson tossed six innings and scattered 11 hits, but didn’t receive support from her defense, which allowed five unearned runs.

Blinn has six conference games next week, starting with a Tuesday road doubleheader against Lamar State-Port Arthur.

“Hopefully we those six games we can get on a roll,” Church said. “We need to focus on our game and how we can play and we’ll be OK.”

For more information on Blinn softball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

 (Story & photos courtesy: Matt Keyser, Blinn Information)