BUCS 2-0 AT NJCAA TOURNEY

White gets a game-winning walk to push Buccaneers past Chattanooga, 3-2

Blinn moves into national quarterfinals with victory

With the game tied and the bases loaded, Courtney White stepped up to the plate but she didn’t exactly need her bat as White was able to draw a walk to push across the winning run for a 3-2 Blinn College softball victory over Chattanooga State Community College Thursday evening in St. George, Utah.

“Chattanooga beat us 3-2 in extra innings earlier in the year and we just kind of returned the favor,” said Blinn head coach Rick Church. “This is easily our biggest win of the season and all the games are big after this one.”

The win ensures Blinn of the spot in the quarterfinals of the 2015 NJCAA Division I Softball National Championship tournament as one of the four undefeated teams remaining in the tournament. The Buccaneers improve their record to 45-14 and next face Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Friday, May 15 at 1 p.m. live on KWHI and www.kwhi.com.

White not only pushed across the winning run with the walk but also brought in the first run of the game with a single up the middle in the first inning. Meghann Wrinkle brought in the other run as she tied the game with a solo home run that brought life back to the Blinn offense. Cheyenne Trader picked up a couple singles to help in the victory.

Mariah Gibson showed resolve in the circle as she gave up seven hits but was able to show composure and keep Chattanooga at two runs that came on a home run in the second inning to get the win.

Blinn got going in the opening inning when Delilah Pacheco singled to start off and then reached second on a ground out. White stepped up and hit a single up the middle to score Pacheco to give the Buccaneers a 1-0 lead after one. The lead didn’t stick around long as Chattanooga used a home run in the second inning to grab a 2-1 lead.

Wrinkle helped to bring the game even in the fourth inning with a solo home run to right to level the score at 3-3 after four.

In its last chance to score before extra innings, Blinn was able to get base runners on after Avery Mullendore singled, Pacheco reached on an error and Alli Spivey walked to load the bases with one out. White didn’t get a single decent pitch to hit in her at bat as she walked to score Mullendore for the game-winning run.

“I really wanted to hit the ball but none of the pitches were even close to the zone,” White said after her game-winning walk. “Now we only have three more wins to go.”

For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.

(Story courtesy, Jake Gordon, Blinn Information)