BLINN SPLITS TWIN BILL

Buccaneers hold off Alvin to grab second game, 5-2

Blinn drops first game to Alvin to split the pair of games

BRENHAM, Texas – Blinn College softball got off to a quick start against Alvin Community College in the second game and the Buccaneers were able to hold off a late charge to earn a 5-2 victory April 8 at Hohlt Park in Brenham.

Blinn wasn’t able to hold Alvin back in the opening game of the day as the Buccaneers held a 2-1 lead heading into the seventh inning but Alvin was able to put up three runs to pull out a 4-2 victory and grab a split on the road.

“We weren’t ready to play today, period,” said Blinn head coach Rick Church. “Maybe this will be a little wake-up call for us to compete from the first pitch to the last pitch.”

With the split, Blinn’s conference record moves to 14-2 and its overall record moves to 32-12. Even with the loss, Blinn still holds a two-game advantage in the loss column over San Jacinto College-South in the Region XIV South Zone standings.

Alli Spivey and Jaiden Rawls each had an RBI in the second game and Rawls picked up the win in the circle while only allowing five hits.

Blinn started with the run support early when Delilah Pacheco reached on an error and Spivey walked. Pacheco was able to score the first run of the game and then Rawls nailed a single to right to score Spivey for a 2-0 lead after a half inning. Alvin was able to tie the game at 2-2 with single runs in the second and fourth innings.

The Buccaneers were able to take advantage of an Alvin error as Meghann Wrinkle and Avery Mullendore each singled to begin the fourth inning and then came around to score on an error for a 4-2 lead.

Blinn went for an insurance run in the sixth by loading the bases when Lara Cecchetti walked, Seeley Orsak reached on a fielder’s choice and Pacheco reached on an error. Spivey knocked in a run with a ground out to make the score 5-2. That lead held up for Blinn to grab a split of the games.

Blinn appeared that it might grab the opening game as well until Alvin exploded with three runs in the final inning to pull out a 4-2 win. Wrinkle and Jordin Wilkins each had an RBI in the opener, while Wrinkle had two hits in the loss. Pacheco also had two hits in the opener.

Blinn was able to jump ahead in the first when Pacheco started the inning with a single and then later came around on a ground out by Wilkins for a 1-0 lead. Alvin was able to tie the game at 1-1 in the sixth with a single run.

Blinn came right back in the bottom of the sixth as Wilkins got it started with a single and then Wrinkle was able to knock in Wilkins with an infield single for a 2-1 lead. That lead didn’t hold up as Alvin scored three in the seventh to grab a 4-2 lead and steal away the opening game from Blinn.

Blinn will hit the road April 11 as it travels to face Coastal Bend College for a double-header that will begin at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit: www.buccaneersports.com.

(Story & photos courtesy: Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)