BECKENDORF’S BIG DAY LEADS BLINN SOFTBALL TO A SWEEP OVER TYLER

Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information

The Blinn College softball team kept its strong early-season stretch going with a doubleheader sweep of Tyler Junior College on Wednesday at Hohlt Park in Brenham, Texas.

The Buccaneers rallied for a 7-6 walk-off victory in game one before routing the Apaches 9-1 in five innings for the home sweep.

Blinn is riding an eight-game winning streak and improved to 9-1 for the first time since 2023. The Bucs have not lost since dropping game two of a doubleheader on opening day on Jan. 29.

“Two more really good wins for us today,” Bucs head coach Rick Church said. “Our offense came through for us once again, and even when we were playing from behind, our hitters were never fazed.”

Although Blinn’s defense at times slowed the Bucs’ efforts (six errors during the twin bill), Church said he expects his young team to continue to grow and improve in the field.

“We’ve had some miscues and are still giving teams too many free gifts, but once we clean up that part of our game we have a chance to be really tough,” he said. “Right now there is a strong sense of belief from the players on this team and that’s driving us every time we play.”

In the opener, Blinn played from behind for most of the game before plating three runs to tie the game in the fifth.

Sophomore third baseman Annie Beckendorf got the Bucs on the board with a leadoff solo homer in the second inning, and freshman right fielder Lexis Moss pulled her team within 3-2 in the third on an RBI single.

The Apaches used a home run to push their lead to 6-2 in the fifth.

In the home half of the inning, sophomore catcher Cadence Wiese and Moss hit back-to-back solo homers to cut Blinn’s deficit to two, and freshman left fielder Skylar Flanagan drove in a run on an infield single to make it a one-run game.

In the sixth, Moss doubled with two outs and Beckendorf just missed her second homer of the game when she plated Moss with a double off the left-field wall.

With one out in the seventh, freshman second baseman Londyn Holland and Flanagan singled in back-to-back at-bats before freshman shortstop Brianna Moreno drove in the winning run on a first-pitch, line-drive single off Tyler relief pitcher Jaycee Bullard.

“Tyler’s pitcher was consistently throwing a first-pitch strike down the middle, so I just stepped in and remained calm and waited for that pitch,” Moreno said. “In that moment, it felt great to come through for our girls.”

Moreno’s heroics closed out the first of two wins for pitcher Madisyn Bracknell. The sophomore made her first appearance of the season when she entered the game with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning. She collected a three-pitch strikeout to escape the jam.

In the top of the seventh, Bracknell set the Apaches down in order.

“Madisyn has been injured to start the season and to see her make her first appearance in a couple of big spots and have success speaks to her competitiveness,” Church said. “Having her back is going to be important for us going forward.”

Blinn out-hit Tyler 17-7.

Beckendorf finished 4 for 4, Flanagan and Moss had three hits each, and Moreno and sophomore first baseman Daniela Lopez had two apiece.

Beckendorf finished with a pair of RBIs, and Flanagan, Moreno, Wiese, and Moss each drove in one run.

Sophomore starting pitcher Brynn Gallamore settled for the no-decision after tossing 5 2/3 innings. She allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Blinn completed the sweep behind another stellar offensive effort and a dominant start from Bracknell.

The Bucs trailed 1-0 in the top of the first inning but came storming back with four runs in the home half.

Run-scoring singles from Wiese and Moss gave the hosts the lead, and Lopez made it 4-1 with a two-run single to center.

In the second, Wiese increased the Bucs’ lead with an RBI double before Moss lifted a two-run homer to left.

Beckendorf and Lopez hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal the run-rule victory.

“We’re all playing for each other out here, and when we step to the plate, that mindset matters,” Beckendorf said. “We’re making some noise offensively right now and I think that comes from the chemistry within the lineup.”

Wiese, Moss, and Lopez each had two hits as part of the Bucs’ nine-hit performance. Moss and Lopez had three RBIs apiece.

Bracknell (2-0) immediately built on her strong relief performance with an even better starting stint. She limited the Apaches to just two hits and walked two while striking out five in a complete-game effort.