The Blinn College softball team rebounded from a tough loss in the opener of Sunday's road doubleheader to claim the finale and earn a split with Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas.
The Buccaneers dropped game one 12-8 before taking game two 5-3.
Blinn is now 18-8 overall.
The Buccaneers looked poised for a victory in the opener after building an 8-3 lead after two innings of play. The Apaches rallied for two runs in the bottom of the third and used a seven-run outburst in the fourth to jump ahead for good.
"Usually when you score eight runs, that's enough to win," Blinn head coach Rick Church said. "We gave up a seven-run inning, though, which was deflating."
The Bucs finished with 11 hits, led by two apiece for sophomore Madeline Stephenson and freshmen Erynne Castillo, Alayna Calvillo, and Haley Rust. Stephenson, Castillo, and Calvillo each scored a pair of runs, Calvillo drove in two runs, and Stephenson had one RBI. Sophomore Emily Kristynik had a double and plated three runs, and sophomore Caitlyn Stevens added a double and an RBI. Freshman Ripley Welker also doubled and scored.
In the pitcher's circle, freshman Peyton Welker started and worked 1 1/3 innings. She allowed three earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout. Sophomore Skylar Shanahan was tagged with the loss in relief after allowing six runs (four earned) in 2 innings of work. Sophomore Kailey Eldridge got two outs in the fourth inning and finished the game in the circle.
(Pictured: Blinn College's Emily Kristynik, left, and Sydnie Cline)
Blinn's answer to the disappointing loss was a strong showing in game two.
"We talk about making responses during a game; we want to be able to respond within a game, but we also need to have a response the next game if you lose the first," Church said. "Important for us to bounce back and that's what we did."
The Bucs struck first in the top of the third frame on a two-run home run from Kristynik. Castillo crossed the plate on a Kristynik single in the fourth, which also resulted in a Tyler error. Stephenson took home on the miscue to make it 4-0.
The Apaches made it 4-1 in the home half of the fourth.
In the sixth, Kristynik tallied her fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice that sent Stephenson to the plate.
"RBI singles, sac flies, home runs … Emily Kristynik had a good day offensively," Church said.
The Bucs totaled eight hits. Kristynik and Stephenson finished with two apiece.
Tyler made things interesting with a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Blinn freshman pitcher Sydnie Cline induced a pop out to clinch the victory.
Cline (2-0) made her first collegiate start Sunday and allowed three earned runs on seven hits with three walks and a strikeout.
"Sydnie Cline pitched really well today," said Church. "She has done well in her bullpens and did well in some relief innings. She'd been doing so well that we thought we'd give her a shot to start, and she made the most of it."
The Bucs have played four games in two days and will close out a three-day, six-game road trip with a visit to Trinity Valley Community College. The two teams will face off in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 27, in Athens, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
