PASADENA, Texas – The second-ranked Blinn College softball team bounced back from an early-afternoon loss to defeat Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on the first day of the San Jacinto Tournament here today.

Blinn fell to Wallace State – Hanceville 10-2 in its tournament opener but finished strong with an 8-2 victory over NEO.

The Buccaneers scored in five of their seven at-bats against NEO. Tiffani McKnight got things started with an RBI double in the first inning, and Allie Artz added an RBI single in the third. Taylor Guidry hit an RBI single in the fourth, and the Bucs rallied for three more runs in the sixth. Guidry had an RBI single, Marissa Purcell drove in a run with a bunt single and Artz drew a bases-loaded walk in the three-run rally.

Christa Hartnett gave the Buccaneers some insurance in the seventh with a two-run single.

Freshman pitcher Katie Castillon (4-1) allowed three hits and walked four to earn the win. She struck out one.

Blinn's only two runs against Wallace State came in the second inning as Caitie Carney smacked a two-run single. But the Buccaneers would manage just four hits on the day as Kristina Davila doubled and Christa Hartnett and Shelbe Sterling each singled.

Freshman pitcher Shannon O'Connor (2-2) scattered nine hits and one walk. The defense committed three errors behind her.

The Buccaneers (6-4) continue tournament play Sunday when they play Wallace State – Hanceville at noon and Iowa Western at 2 p.m.