BLINN SOFTBALL SPLITS TWINBILL WITH #3 TEMPLE

Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information

The Blinn College softball team battled third-ranked Temple College to a doubleheader split Tuesday at the Blinn Softball Field at Hohlt Park in Brenham, Texas.

The Buccaneers staged a rally in extra frames to top the Leopards 3-2 in an eight-inning opener before Temple bounced back to out-slug Blinn 10-7 in the finale.

"I was really happy with the way we fought and came back to take the opener in the end," Blinn head coach Rick Church said. "In the second game, we were flat early on, and when we did score runs and inched closer, we turned around and gave those runs back. In the end, our deficit was a bit too much to come back from. We're still learning and getting the early-season nerves out of our system and this is a good week to do it."

Sophomore catcher Grace Bracken drove in all three of the Bucs' runs in game one, including a game-winning, two-out triple in the eighth. With her team trailing 2-1, Bracken sent a drive over the outstretched glove of the Leopards' right fielder to drive in freshman Riley Marek and sophomore T'Era Garrett for the win.

"(Temple starting pitcher Haley Crawford) was pitching me away the entire game, so I came into that final at bat expecting that again," Bracken explained. "I was prepared for a riseball or a curveball outside, and I got a curve and I was ready for it."

Bracken's walk-off made a winner out of sophomore pitcher Bella De Los Santos (2-1), who recorded two outs in the eighth.

Freshman Brynn Gallamore settled for a tough-luck no-decision after limiting Temple to two runs (one earned) in 7 1/3 innings of three-hit ball. She walked five and struck out one.

"I was pleased with the way Brynn pitched today; she didn't get the win but certainly pitched well enough to deserve it," Church said, "and that's the way it goes sometimes."

Bracken opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning when she singled in sophomore Kayden Harms.

The Leopards tied the game in the top of the seventh on a fielder's choice and a fielding error before jumping ahead on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Blinn's offense finished with 10 hits, including three for Garrett and two for Bracken and sophomore Darian DeLeon. Temple had three hits.

The Bucs had a hard time carrying their momentum into game two, as the Leopards jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three innings of play.

A three-run fifth helped Blinn cut Temple's advantage to 7-4, but the Leopards posted their own three-spot in the sixth.

The Bucs rallied for three more runs in the seventh but couldn't pull any closer.

Temple out-hit Blinn 17-9.

Sophomore Bailey Boetjer paced the Bucs with a 4-for-4 outing, including two doubles, a three-run home run in the seventh, and fourth RBIs.

Sophomore pitcher Paige Bunting suffered the loss following three innings of work.

Blinn gets back to work when it hosts No. 12 Grayson College for a twin bill at 1 p.m. later today (Wednesday) at the Blinn Softball Field at Hohlt Park.