GALVESTON, Texas – The second-ranked Blinn College softball team defeated two nationally-ranked teams in the final day of the Galveston Invitational here Saturday to finish 4-1 for the tournament.
Blinn topped 15th-ranked Navarro 11-2 in five innings before rallying to defeat 12th-ranked Temple 10-8 in eight innings.
Temple held a 6-2 lead before Blinn rallied for four runs in the seventh. Tiffani McKnight got the rally started by singling and scoring on a double by Kristina Davila. Shelbe Sterling reached on an error that scored Davila, and Sydney Wellmann launched a two-run homer to send the game to extra innings.
In the eighth, McKnight hit an RBI single and Davila added a three-run triple to put the game away.
Freshman Katie Castillon (3-0) earned the win after coming on in relief in the sixth inning.
Castillon earned the win against Navarro after striking out four without allowing an earned run.
McKnight went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Sterling went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Christa Hartnett went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Caitie Carney went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Buccaneers will host the Blinn Round Robin Feb. 8-10 in Brenham. The Buccaneers open the tournament Feb. 8 with a 2 p.m. game against Temple and a 4 p.m. contest against Seminole (Okla.) State. The Bucs play Seminole State again at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9, then play Northeastern Oklahoma A&M at noon and Navarro at 2 p.m. on Feb. 10.
For more information on Blinn softball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.