PHOENIX – Hannah Blincoe once again pitched a gem for Tarleton State (17-14, 33-5 WAC), this time a two-hit shutout of the No. 24 Lopes from Grand Canyon (23-5, 3-1 WAC) 3-0 Friday night.
The shutout win marks the first by a mid-major thus far this season and just the second time the Lopes have been shutout as then No. 8 Oregon shutout Grand Canyon 4-0 on Feb. 15, 2025. Both times the Lopes have gone scoreless it has occurred on their home turf.
Tarleton State 3 Grand Canyon 0
Blincoe earned her 10th start of the season as she tossed her third shutout of the season with the Texans 3-0 win over GCU. The other two shutouts came in her two no-no’s this season that were just 19 days apart.
Two big hits by a senior and a freshman made the difference in Game 1 on Friday night.
After three scoreless innings for both sides, Tarleton State finally broke the game open as Kalyn Hill hit her team leading sixth homer of the season on a 1-0 count deep to left off the scoreboard beyond the left field fence with Tristyn Trull on putting the Texans up 2-0 in the fourth.
Following a scoreless fifth for both squads, Casey Schultz singled through the left side on an 0-2 count driving in Trull to give the road team the 3-0 lead.
After the first two Lopes reached in the bottom of the seventh, Blincoe struck out the next batter looking, the following lined out and the final hope for the home team struck out swinging on a 2-2 count.
For the Texans, Blincoe (W, 5-6) tossed her third complete game of her senior campaign as she went all seven innings striking out seven and walking just a pair. This marked the third time the Georgetown, Texas, native, has struck out seven or more with her season high nine coming in her first of two no-hitters vs. the Lobos of New Mexico. She faced a total of 24 Lopes, just three over the minimum.
For the Lopes, they opted for a duo in the opening game as Maggie Place (L, 6-3) got the start in the circle and took her third loss of the season going 4.2 IP. During her time in the circle, she gave up two runs (both earned) on four hits while she walked one and struck out three. Taryn Batterton took over for the final 2.1 IP. Batterton gave up one run (earned) on four hits as she also walked one and struck out two. Batterton also had two wild pitches.
Tarleton State 3 Grand Canyon 4
Game 2 of the day seemed to be all Lopes before the Texans took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh before the home team walked it off 4-3 in the bottom of the frame.
After nine scoreless innings from the Lopes, they found their bats in the bottom of the third as Willa Ford hit a solo shot to dead center on a 1-2 count giving Grand Canyon their first run of the day.
Two innings later, the Texans tied things up 1-1 as Braylin Pannill homered to right center on a 1-0 count to make it 1-1 in the fifth. This marked Pannill’s second long ball of the season and her fist oppo shot of the year.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ford stepped in the box once again, this time swinging two pitches earlier for the same result shooting a shot out to left to retake the lead 2-1 in the fifth.
With the Texans down to their final three outs, the Purple and White refused to lay down. With Trull and Mikaila Gilliland on, Hill singled to left as Trull moved to third and Gilliland scored on a diving play at the plate to tie things up 2-2. The very next batter for the Texans took full advantage of a runner just 60 feet away as she hit a shot to the shortstop and reached on a fielding error as Trull scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to give the Purple and White a 3-2 lead and put them just three outs away from securing the series win in the bottom of the frame.
In the bottom of the seventh, Alexa Rehmeier walked the leadoff batter in Ford before being pulled as Blincoe came back in looking for three outs and a series secured. Blincoe struck out Tinley Lucas as she swung through strike three putting Tarleton State just two outs away. Savannah Kirk then singled up the middle moving Ford to second putting the tying run in scoring position. Sydney McCray then hit a bunt singled to third loading the bases and moving the winning run into scoring position. Arriana Wright then pinch hit for Briah Williams and singled to left scoring Ford and Kirk as the Lopes won Game 2 4-3 evening the series 1-1.
For the Texans, head coach Mark Cumpian used a trio of arms in Shelby Schultz, Rehmeier and Blincoe. Shelby earned the start for Game 2 as she went 4.1 IP giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits as she struck out four putting her at 87 strikeouts thus far in her collegiate career as she needs just 13 more for the century mark. Rehmeier went 1.2 IP as she allowed one run (earned) on one hit as she struck out three and walked a trio as well. Blincoe (L, 5-7) tossed just a third-of-an-inning as she gave up one run on three hits and struck out one.
For the Lopes, Meghan Golden earned the start and went 4.1 IP just as Shelby Schultz did as she gave up one run (earned) on three hits while walking and striking out a trio in both categories. Golden also hit one batter in Hayden Fox to lead off the game. Batterton then entered and went two-and-two-thirds giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits as she walked one and struck out three.
The two teams meet for the rubber match on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT as the Texans will look to take the series. The game will air live on the wavelengths of ESPN+ while live stats will also be available.
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