Blinn softball headed to nationals
Bucs win fourth consecutive Region XIV title

LUFKIN, Texas – For the fourth consecutive season, the Blinn College softball team is headed to the NJCAA National Championships.
Blinn defeated Galveston College 5-3 here Sunday to win the program’s fourth consecutive Region XIV Tournament as sophomore pitcher Kaci Federwisch scattered five hits over six innings and Jocelyn Tacquard threw a scoreless seventh to seal the victory.
“It’s not easy, but when you have those expectations and believe in what you can do, you can pull it off,” Blinn (49-8) coach Rick Church said.
Blinn scored four of its runs in the top of the second inning as Leandra Maly and Tiffani McKnight each drove runs home. Two of Blinn’s four runs in the inning were earned.
Galveston cut Blinn’s lead to 4-3 until the top of the seventh, when Kristina Davila reached on an error and scored on an RBI single by Brittney Krchnak.
“Krchnak’s insurance run was clutch,” Church said. “That took a little wind out of their sails. We kept our composure.”
Federwisch, the Region XIV Player of the Year, battled through the first six innings, but with the top of Galveston’s lineup coming up in the seventh, Church turned to Tacquard. Galveston was facing Federwisch for the second time in the tournament.
“I thought Jocelyn would be a good change of rhythm,” Church said. “Kaci and Jocelyn are the combination we plan to use at nationals.”
The national tournament will be held May 17-19 in St. George, Utah. Blinn, which is ranked sixth in the nation, will be seeded no worse than third in the 16-team field. Blinn placed fourth at last season’s tournament.
For more information on Blinn softball, visit www.buccaneersports.com.