BUC SOFTBALL SWEEPS HOME TWINBILL

Both offense and defense were solid for the Blinn College softball team in the Buccaneers’ home opener in order for them to sweep Kilgore College Saturday at Hohlt Park.

Blinn’s strong pitching led to a 7-1 victory in the first game of the doubleheader, while its explosive offense led to a 14-5 run-rule win in five innings to finish the day. With the pair of wins, the Buccaneers now hold a 3-5 overall record.

“One thing that stuck out in both games is that we were behind and as a team we kept our composure, didn’t get rattled, and came back and won both games,” head softball coach Rick Church said. “Renna Toomey pitched a really good complete seven-inning game and Skylar Shanahan had a much better outing than her previous outing, so that was encouraging in both games for our pitchers. After a little shaky start, Mikaela Lopez’s triple got us going for the entire day, and she continued to hit, so it was a good day for her.”

Lopez led Blinn’s offense in both games, totaling five hits, three triples, and six RBIs.

“We have been working really hard this week and Coach Church always says that keeping your composure wins games,” Lopez said. “I tried to stay calm and not get too deep in the count. It felt really good to get that first hit and put my team on top because they did their job by getting on base, so I wanted to do mine.”

Blinn 7 – Kilgore 1 

Mikaela Lopez and Emily Murphy combined for five RBIs to help launch the Buccaneers to a 7-1 victory over Kilgore to open the day.

Toomey was phenomenal in the circle, only allowing two hits and one unearned in a complete seven-inning game. She tallied three strikeouts and didn’t allow a walk.

“I feel like we have a really solid defense and I trust my team that if I can put the ball on the ground or put it in the air that they are going make the outs,” Toomey said. “I love our mound and it felt nice to be able to play again at home where our family can come watch. It is nice to leave with two wins at home today.”

Lopez went 2-for-3, scored two runs, and led Blinn with three RBIs. Murphy drove in two runs for the Buccaneers, while Shanahan drove in one. Marley Mahoney led the Buccaneers with three hits and scored two runs, while Chandler Talbot, Bailee Stanzione, and Italie Speziale-Potter each scored one run.

After three scoreless innings, Kilgore landed on the board first with one run in the top of the fourth inning. However, Blinn quickly answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead for good.

Mahoney and Talbot led off the fourth inning with a single and walk, and Lopez followed with a triple for Blinn to lead 2-1. Lopez scored the final run in the inning on a ground out.

The Buccaneers scored the final four runs of the game in the fifth inning. Lopez drove in the first run of the inning, and her third run of the game, with a single. Mahoney, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on passed ball for Blinn to lead 5-1. With two outs, Murphy singled for two runs to score and the Buccaneers to lead 7-1.

Toomey tossed two more scoreless innings for Blinn to claim the victory.

Blinn 14 – Kilgore 5 

Blinn finished the day with a 14-5 run-rule win in five innings to claim the sweep.

The Buccaneers’ offense was explosive and racked up 15 hits. Lopez and Keely Castillo were both perfect at the plate with three hits each. Lopez drove in three runs, while Mahoney and Majewski each drove in two. Speziale-Potter and Acie Prince each had one RBI apiece. Shaelyn Sanders led the Buccaneers with three runs, while Mahoney, Prince, Castillo, and Amy Hitt each scored two. Speziale-Potter, Stanzione, and Samantha Rodriguez each scored one run in the win.

Shanahan sealed the win in the circle for the Buccaneers after striking out six and allowing six hits and four earned runs in five innings.

Kilgore raced to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but a five-run second inning put the Buccaneers on top. Sanders and Castillo made the most of a Rangers’ error to score Blinn’s first two runs. Mahoney hit a two-run triple and Lopez hit a one-run triple to pull Blinn ahead 5-3.

The Rangers scored their final two runs in the third inning to even the score 5-5. However, the Buccaneers answered back with five runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 10-5. Prince kicked things off with a one-run single and later scored on an error, along with Stanzione. Blinn took a 10-5 lead after Lopez hit her third triple of the day for two runs to score.

The Buccaneers added two runs in the fourth as Castillo stole home and Hitt scored on a groundout. In the fifth inning, Majewski’s two-run double put the Buccaneers on top 14-5 for the run-rule win.

Next, the Buccaneers will travel to face off against Navarro College in a doubleheader on Friday, March 5, starting at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(COURTESY: Tara Dreyer, Blinn Information)