The Blinn College softball team opened its season with 7-0 and 9-4 losses to No. 16 Chipola College Friday at Hohlt Park, but head coach Rick Church saw enough to feel good about the future.

"We're going to get better," Church said. "That's our opener and we're going to learn how to compete better than we did today."

Chipola 7, Blinn 0

The Indians scored three runs in the second and two in the fourth and fifth innings as they shut out the Buccaneers.

Blinn finished with five hits, while Chipola tallied nine.

In the pitcher's circle for the Buccaneers was freshman Kailey Eldridge, who tossed a complete game for the hosts. She allowed seven earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

Sophomore Chandler Talbot had two hits for Blinn, while Emily Kristynik had a double. 

Chipola 9, Blinn 4

In the back end of the twin bill, Blinn held a 4-3 edge after four innings, but the Indians rallied for six runs in the final three frames to secure the sweep.

The Buccaneers tallied nine hits, led by Talbot's 3-for-4 performance. Sophomore Kaitlyn Sadler finished 2 for 3 with a double and sophomore Keely Castillo also doubled for Blinn.

Sadler also started the game in the circle and worked 4 1/3 innings in which she surrendered five earned runs on seven hits with three walks and one strikeout. Freshman Chloee Mason came on in relief and pitched 2 2/3 frames. She allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

After Chipola grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Buccaneers responded with Kristynik's RBI sacrifice fly.

In the third frame, Reed scored Sadler on an error before Castillo doubled to left to plate Reed. 

After the Indians tied the game in the fourth, Blinn seized its final lead in the bottom of the fourth frame on a Reed sacrifice fly.

Chipola jumped ahead for good in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run.

"I was happy that in the second game, we came out aggressively with our at-bats," Church said. "For me, it's how we compete regardless of what our situation is. We had an aggressive start to the second game, which was encouraging."

The Buccaneers will continue their season Thursday, Feb. 3, at the 2022 Island Invitational in Houston, starting with matchups against Odessa College and Vernon College at noon and 2:30 p.m., respectively.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.