BUCS GO 4-0 TO OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY

Blinn stays perfect in conference with sweep over Laredo

Buccaneers defeat Laredo, 3-2 and 8-2

BRENHAM, Texas — Blinn College softball swept Laredo Community College, 3-2 and 8-2, Sunday at Hohlt Park to start Region XIV play with a perfect 4-0 record.

With the win, the Buccaneers increase their record to 17-10 overall.

Blinn 3 – Laredo 2

A tough pitching performance by Meghan Morris allowed Blinn to edge out Laredo, 3-2, to open the doubleheader.

Morris threw a complete game and surrendered just two runs on seven hits, while not allowing a walk.

Tori Alvarez-Lopez led Blinn’s offense by going 2-for-3, while driving in one run and scoring one run. Anna Pisaro and Bailey Zibelin each drove in one run, while Amber Langston and Kristin Kaiser each scored one run.

Blinn was on the board first after Alvarez-Lopez led off the opening inning with a triple and later scored on a groundout.

Laredo took a 2-1 lead in the third inning, but the Buccaneers evened the score in the fourth inning when Kaiser reached base on an error and scored on Alvarez-Lopez’s single.

Blinn pulled ahead 3-2 in the fifth inning when Langston scored on a sacrifice fly by Zibelin, which was good enough for the win.

Blinn 8 – Laredo 2

Blinn was dominant on offense and defense in the final game of the doubleheader to defeat Laredo, 8-2, for the sweep.

Ashley Richardson earned the win in the circle after tossing five innings and surrendering one run on two hits, while Alysa Torres surrendered just one run on two hits in the final two innings.

Kimber Cortemelia led Blinn’s offense with three RBIs, while Alvarez-Lopez went 3-for-4 to drive in two runs and score two. Pisaro also scored two runs in the win.

Blinn took a 4-0 lead in three innings after Pisaro scored in the first inning on a passed ball, Zibelin scored in the second inning on Sarah Cedillo’s single and Alvarez-Lopez hit a two-run homer with Kelsey Lowke on base in the third inning.

Laredo showed up on the board in the fourth inning with one run, but the Buccaneers extended their lead to 8-1 in the fifth inning. Cortemelia drove in the first three runs in the fifth inning with a double for Alvarez-Lopez, Pisaro and Langston to score. Then, Cortemelia scored Blinn’s final run on a single by Zibelin.

Laredo scored its last run in the sixth inning before falling.

SATURDAY

Pitching was solid for Blinn in the Region XIV conference opener in order for the Buccaneers to sweep Coastal Bend College Saturday at Hohlt Park.

Blinn’s strong pitching led to a 2-0 victory in the first game of the doubleheader, while its stellar offense led to a 9-1 run-rule win in five innings to finish the day.

Blinn 2 – Coastal Bend 0

Meghan Morris’ complete game shutout led the Buccaneers to a 2-0 victory over Coastal Bend in the doubleheader opener.

Morris was solid in the circle, only allowing three hits, while striking out three.

Four hits and two runs was all it took for the Buccaneers to notch the win. The offense was led by Courtney Ogle with one RBI and one run, and Mackenzie Crews with one run. Amber Langston went 2-for-2 at the plate, while drawing a walk.

Ogle hit a home run in the fourth inning to put Blinn ahead 1-0 in the pitching duel.

Crews scored Blinn’s second and final run in the fifth inning on an error.

Blinn 9 – Coastal Bend 1

Blinn used an explosive offense to run-rule Coastal Bend, 9-1, in five innings to closeout the doubleheader.

Ashley Richardson sealed the win in the circle after only surrendering one run on two hits in five innings, while striking out two.

Kimber Cortemelia led Blinn’s offense with two RBIs and one run, while Tori Alvarez-Lopez, Anna Pisaro, Maria Garcia, Bailey Zibelin, Julissa Llanos and Langston each drove in one run.

The Buccaneers’ offense got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the first inning. Cortemelia drove in Blinn’s first run with a single for Pisaro to score. Langston scored Blinn’s next run on a passed ball, while back-to-back doubles by Garcia and Zibelin allowed two more runs to score.

Coastal Bend scored its only run in the fourth inning, while Blinn added three runs in the fourth inning and two in the fifth inning.

After two singles and an error loaded the bases, Pisaro was hit by a pitch for Kindle Gault to score. Langston followed with a walk for Sarah Cedillo to score, while Kelsey Lowke scored on a fielder’s choice for Blinn to lead 7-1.

Llanos kept things rolling in the fifth inning with a single to plate Zibelin, while a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alvarez-Lopez allowed Lexi Harris to score the final run needed for the run-rule win.

Next, Blinn will continue conference play on the road against Lamar State College-Port Arthur in a doubleheader on Friday, March 22, starting at 1 p.m.

(COURTESY: Tara Dreyer, Blinn Information)