GALVESTON, Texas – Blinn College softball used an explosive offense backed by solid pitching to sweep the Region XIV conference leader Galveston College on Friday afternoon.
Meghan Morris threw a no-hitter, while Sydney Gutierrez drove in seven runs in the first game of the doubleheader for the Buccaneers to defeat Galveston, 9-0, in five innings. Blinn closed out the day with a 9-8 victory for the sweep.
With the pair of wins, the Buccaneers improve to 27-15 overall and 16-6 in Region XIV play.
Blinn 9 – Galveston 0
Morris was impressive in the circle after throwing her first no-hitter of the season, while Gutierrez drove in seven runs with two swings of the bat for Blinn to defeat Galveston, 9-0, in five innings.
Morris only walked three, while striking out three for a complete five-inning shutout.
On the offensive side, Gutierrez was explosive after going 3-for-3 with two home runs, while racking up seven RBIs and scoring three runs. Abby Olejniczak also scored three runs, while Alivia Villarreal drove in one run.
Villarreal drove in Blinn's first run with a double for Olejniczak to score, while Gutierrez scored on a passed ball for Blinn to take an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Buccaneers extended their lead to 5-0 after Gutierrez hit a three-run homer to bring home Olejniczak and Calli Birch in the third inning.
Blinn added its final four runs in the fourth inning after Gutierrez hit a grand slam for Morgan Gray, Sarah Cedillo and Olejniczak to score. Morris shut Galveston down in the fifth inning for the Buccaneers to run-rule Galveston, 9-0, in five innings.
Blinn 9 – Galveston 8
Although Galveston took an early lead, the Buccaneers were able to come back and defeat Galveston, 9-8, in order to claim the sweep.
Kamryn Boucher sealed the win for Blinn after surrendering just three runs on three hits, while striking out one in three innings.
Villarreal led Blinn with two RBIs, while Tori Alvarez-Lopez led Blinn with two runs scored.
Galveston jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning and held it until the fourth inning when Blinn poured in seven runs.
Villarreal scored the first run after the Buccaneers loaded the bases and Georgina Gonzales was hit with a pitch. Courtney Ogle drove in her first run of the day with a single for Amy Alexander to score, while Alvarez-Lopez and Gray scored the next two runs on errors. Villarreal drove in the next run with a single for Ogle to score, while Gutierrez scored the final run of the inning on an error for Blinn to lead 7-3.
Blinn added its final two runs in the fifth inning after Alvarez-Lopez and Birch each hit solo home runs for the Buccaneers to lead 9-3.
Galveston added one run in the fifth inning and attempted a rally in the seventh with four runs but fell just short, 9-8.
Blinn will play San Jacinto College-South in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 25 starting at 3 p.m. on the road for the final conference games of the season.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.