WACO, Texas - A two-run, fourth-inning home run off the bat of Georgina Gonzales coupled with a seven-inning shutout from pitcher Meghan Morris paved the way for Blinn College softball to defeat McLennan Community College 2-0 in the opening game of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon.
The momentum carried over into the second game until the seventh inning when McLennan scored four runs to rally back and eventually walk off the field with a 7-6 victory in the ninth inning. With the split, Blinn's overall record moves to 5-3 on the year.
Blinn 2 - McLennan 0
Behind a solid pitching performance by Morris and two RBIs by Gonzales, Blinn was able to beat McLennan College 2-0 to open the doubleheader.
In the circle, Morris improved to 3-1 on the year, after throwing seven scoreless innings, while striking out three and allowing no walks.
Morgan Gray, Sydney Gutierrez, Alivia Villarreal, Gabriela Gomez and Gonzales each had one hit in the victory.
The Buccaneers scored the only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning after Gomez led off the inning with a base hit. Gonzales followed with a two-run shot to lift Blinn to a 2-0 advantage that led to the Buccaneers victory.
McLennan 7 - Blinn 6
Blinn held a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning when McLennan rallied for four runs to send the game into extra innings and eventually score in the ninth inning for a 7-6 victory.
Amber Langston went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Buccaneers, while Gutierrez managed two hits for one RBI and Lauren Coerver recorded one hit for two RBIs. Sarah Cedillo scored two runs, while Abby Olejniczak, Courtney Ogle, Coerver and Gutierrez each score one run for the Buccaneers in the victory.
The Buccaneers dominated the first five and a half innings of the game after scoring five runs, while pitcher Kassidy Rhoudes tossed five shutout innings to McLennan.
Gutierrez hit Blinn's second home run of the day in the opening inning for the Buccaneers to take a 1-0 lead.
The Buccaneers added three more runs to the board in the fourth inning as Cedillo and Ogle led off with walks and Coerver followed with a two-run triple. Langston drove in the final run with a single for Blinn to lead 4-0.
Blinn tacked on another run in the sixth inning after Ogle opened the frame with a walk and Langston singled for Ogle to score later in the inning.
McLennan landed on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning with one run, but continued to trail 5-1.
Blinn ran into trouble in the seventh inning after surrendering back-to-back home runs for McLennan to even the score 5-5 and push the game into extra innings.
The Buccaneers took back the momentum in the top of the eighth inning after Cedillo scored on a passed ball for Blinn to lead 6-5, however McLennan answered back in the bottom of the inning with one run to even the score.
In the bottom of the ninth, McLennan scored on a walk-off single to take a 7-6 victory.
Next, Blinn will play in a doubleheader against Temple College on Friday, Feb. 16 starting at 2 p.m. on the road.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987.