BRENHAM, Texas - After being swept yesterday for its first two conference losses of the season, No. 14 Blinn's offense came alive in order to sweep Alvin Community College in a doubleheader by the scores of 3-0 and 13-4 on Saturday afternoon at Hohlt Park.
Meghan Morris threw a complete seven-inning shutout for Blinn to win the first game, while Sydney Gutierrez ended the second game in five innings with a walk-off grand slam.
The Buccaneers now improve to 19-11 overall and 8-2 in Region XIV play with the sweep.
Blinn 3 - Alvin 0
Behind a solid pitching performance by Morris, the Buccaneers were able to defeat Alvin, 3-0, in the doubleheader opener.
Morris claimed the win in the circle after throwing a complete game shutout and only allowing one hit, while striking out two.
Alivia Villarreal recorded Blinn's only RBIs in the game with two, while Morgan Gray went 3-for-3 and scored a run. Abby Olejniczak and Sarah Cedillo scored Blinn's other two runs.
A pitching duel was underway in the first four innings as Blinn and Alvin remained scoreless. In the fifth inning, Blinn was able to manage two runs to take the lead. Gray and Cedillo put pressure on Alvin's pitching staff after leading off with two straight singles. Tori Alvarez-Lopez moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Villarreal drove in both runs with a line-drive single.
Blinn scored its final run in the sixth inning when Olejniczak scored on an error.
Blinn 13 - Alvin 4
The Buccaneers kept the momentum rolling into the second game of the doubleheader and poured in eight runs in the fifth inning to run-rule Alvin, 13-4.
Gutierrez was explosive on offense after racking up four RBIs with a grand slam and scoring four runs. Villarreal also recorded four RBIs, while Georgina Gonzales drove in three.
Kassidy Rhoudes recorded the win after pitching 4 1/3 innings and surrendering four runs on five hits. Emily Noah came in for 2/3 of an inning and only allowed one hit.
The Buccaneers entered the fifth inning with only a 5-4 lead before managing six hits and eight runs in the inning to seal the victory. Gutierrez led off the inning with a triple and scored the first run on a sacrifice fly off Villarreal's bat. After Alvin recorded the second out it looked as if the Dolphins would get out of the inning with limited damage. However, the Buccaneers stayed alive after Courtney Ogle drew a walk, Olejniczak singled and Gonzales sent a three-run homer over the fence for Blinn to lead 9-4. Makalah Norman, Alvarez-Lopez and Amber Langston loaded the bases up for Gutierrez to hit a grand slam and Blinn to walk off with the win.
Earlier in the game, Alvin and Blinn were even 1-1 after the first inning. Blinn scored its first run after Gutierrez drew a walk and Villarreal brought her home with a double to level the score.
Blinn took a 2-1 lead in the second inning after Ogle drew a walk and scored on a groundout.
In the third inning, Alvin grabbed a 3-2 lead back after scoring two runs, but by the bottom inning Blinn had secured the lead for good with three runs. Alvarez-Lopez scored the first run of the inning on an error, while a two-run double off the bat of Villarreal allowed Gutierrez and Langston to score and Blinn to lead 5-3.
Alvin scored in the fourth inning to gain on Blinn 5-4 before the Buccaneers took off with eight runs in the fifth inning for a 13-4 win.
Blinn will be back in action when the Buccaneers take on San Jacinto College-South on Friday, March 30 in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Hohlt Park.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987. "
