GALVESTON, Texas — Blinn College softball (5-0) earned three wins Saturday against Snead State Community College, No. 3 (Division II) Louisiana State University Eunice and Northwest Florida State College to closeout the 2019 Galveston College Invitational with a perfect 5-0 record.
The Buccaneers opened the day with an 8-7 win over Snead State, then defeated LSU Eunice, 5-2. They finished the day run-ruling Northwest Florida State, 15-2, in five innings.
"Our pitching came through and we hit the ball well this weekend to score a bunch of runs," said Blinn head coach, Rick Church. "I was proud of the team, we gained momentum every game and we made a statement in our last game because Northwest Florida State College was also undefeated. It was a great start to our season."
Blinn 8 – Snead State 7
Bailey Zibelin hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning for Blinn to rally back and beat Snead State, 8-7, to open the day.
Ashley Richardson was credited with the win after coming in for 2/3 of an inning and surrendering two hits and two runs, while Meghan Morris recorded the save in the seventh inning after not allowing a hit and striking out two. Alysa Torres had a solid start, only surrendering five hits and three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Zibelin went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Blinn's offense. Anna Pisaro was next with two hits for two RBIs, while Maria Garcia and Amber Langston each recorded two hits.
Trailing 7-5 entering the seventh inning, Blinn rallied for three runs for the win. Following singles by Garcia and Courney Ogle, Zibelin hit a home run for the Buccaneers to lead 8-7.
Earlier, Blinn was ahead 3-0. Zibelin drove in Blinn's first run with a single that scored Langston in the second inning. Pisaro scored on an error and Sarah Cedillo scored on a single off the bat of Langston in the third inning.
Snead State scored two runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth to even the score 3-3.
Pisaro drove in two runs with a double in the sixth inning to pull Blinn back ahead 5-3. However, Snead State rallied for four runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 7-5, before Blinn rallied back for the win.
Blinn 5 – LSU Eunice 2
A solid outing in the circle by Morris helped lead the Buccaneers to a 5-2 win over LSU Eunice.
Morris threw a complete seven-inning game and only surrendered two runs, while striking out three.
Pisaro led the offense with two RBIs, while Kimber Cortemelia drove in one run. Tori Alvarez-Lopez and Cedillo each scored two runs, and Garcia scored one run in the win.
A solo home run by Garcia gave Blinn a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning before LSU Eunice evened the score in the bottom half.
Alvarez-Lopez scored off an error and Cedillo scored off of a groundout for Blinn to pull ahead 3-1 in the third inning. LSU Eunice scored its final run of the game in the bottom part of the inning.
Pisaro drove in Blinn's final two runs in the fourth inning with a single, and Blinn held the 5-2 lead for the remainder of the game.
Blinn 15 – Northwest Florida State 2
Garcia and Ogle combined for eight RBIs to help the Buccaneers to a 15-2 run-rule victory over Northwest Florida State in five innings.
Richardson sealed the win in the circle after throwing all five innings and surrendering two runs, while striking out one.
Blinn took off with a 4-0 lead in the first inning after Garcia batted-in two runs with a single and Langston drove in one run with a single. Zibelin doubled for Blinn's fourth run.
Northwest Florida State scored one run in the bottom of the first, before Blinn scored five runs in the second inning to lead 9-1. Cortemelia, Langston, Zibelin and Alvarez-Lopez all recorded one-run singles in the inning, while Langston scored after Mackenzi Crews was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Blinn extended its lead to 13-1 in the third inning after Ogle hit a grand slam to score Langston, Garcia and Zibelin.
Blinn added two more runs in the fourth inning off a two-run single by Garica that brought Cedillo and Pisaro home.
Northwest Florida State scored its final run in the fifth inning.
Next, Blinn will travel to Conroe for the 2019 San Jacinto Round Robin on Friday, Feb. 8. First. The Buccaneers will face McLennan Community College at 10 a.m. before taking on Team Japan at 12:15 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
