LAREDO, Texas – Blinn College softball was able to score in seven of the 12 total innings to sweep the doubleheader from Laredo Community College by the scores 9-0 and 16-4 as both games ended in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon.
Blinn has now won eight consecutive conference games to improve to 9-1 in Region XIV play. The Buccaneers are now 23-11 overall.
"This was a much-needed weekend sweep to stay on top in the South division," said Rick Church, Blinn head coach. "Pitching and defensively, we only let Laredo score in one of the total 12 innings."
Blinn 9 – Laredo 0
Blinn used three home runs and a six-inning shutout pitched by Colleen Bentke to take the opener 9-0 in six innings over Laredo.
Bentke pitched a six-inning shutout by allowing just the four hits and striking out six to improve to 5-0 in conference play.
Noah hit a home run and a single to bring in three runs. Emily Taylor and Gabriela Gomez each hit a home run. Shelby Achille, Amy Alexander and Calli Birch each had an RBI in the win.
After a couple of scoreless innings, Blinn was able to get on the board in the third inning as Kalli Edwards started it off with a single and then scored on a Laredo error for the first run. Achille later scored on an error as well for a 2-0 lead. Birch kept the scoring going with an RBI single to center for the third run and then Taylor capped the scoring with a two-run home run to left for a 5-0 lead.
Gomez supplied the runs in the fifth inning with a solo home run to left for a 6-0 advantage. The Buccaneers looked to end the game early in the sixth as Nicole Garcia started it with a lead-off single and then scored on a double by Achille to center for a 7-0 lead. Noah capped the scoring with a two-run home run over the fence in center for a 9-0 lead that would hold up until the final out.
Blinn 16 – Laredo 4
Blinn went scoreless for the first two innings but then packed in 16 runs in the following four innings to beat Laredo 16-4 in six to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Noah kept the hot bat going in the second game by hitting another home run and a double while knocking in six RBIs. Katy Sawyer hit a double and brought in three. Alivia Villareal, Alexander, Gomez and Morgan each had an RBI in the win.
Sam Junkin picked up the win in the circle by pitching six innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits while striking out four.
Blinn was able to get on the scoreboard in the third inning as Noah got it started with a one-out double and then came in to score after an RBI single by Alexander to right for the first run. Alexander, Gomez and Taylor each scored on an error for a 4-0 lead.
The Buccaneers loaded the bases in the fourth inning and Sawyer was able to clear the bases with a double to score three for a 7-0 lead. Laredo scored four in the bottom of the fourth to get within 7-4.
Blinn didn't let Laredo get any closer as Edwards drew a one-out walk and Achille doubled and both scored on a two-run single by Noah for a 9-4 lead.
The Buccaneers poured on the runs in the sixth inning to end the game early as Abby Olejniczak drew a walk to begin the inning and then scored after a double by Gray to left for a 10-4 lead. Villareal brought in a run with an RBI single in the infield for the 11th run. Noah brought in three runs with a home run to left for a 15-4 lead. Gomez capped the scoring with a double to left to make the score 16-4 that would hold up until the final out.
Blinn will be back home at Hohlt Park to host San Jacinto College-South on Wednesday, March 29 for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
With an enrollment of 19,422 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
