By MIKE MONTFORT
South Zone opponents San Jacinto-South and Blinn come to Jesse and Lou Cummings Field this week as Navarro Softball continues a six-game homestand this week -- weather permitting.
Reigning Region XIV Champion San Jacinto, ranked No. 20 in the NJCAA Division I Preseason Poll, carries a 2-3 record after facing five of the nation's 14 top-ranked softball clubs -- including three participants in the 2022 national tournament at Yuma, Az., last May. Coach Kelly Saenz's team is coming off a 9-0 run-ruled loss Sunday at second-ranked McLennan. One week earlier, it was splitting four games in the Highlassies' Battle Of The Brazos Tournament against No. 2 Odessa, No. 7 Butler, No. 8 Grayson and No. 14 Chipola, Fl.
San Jacinto meets coach Jessica Karenke-Burke's Bulldogs (3-3) here for a 1 pm Wednesday doubleheader.
Blinn will be here Saturday for a 1 pm doubleheader that a caps a busy week for the currently unbeaten Buccaneers (4-0). After a successful run at Galveston College's Island Invitational where it outscored opponents 34-7, coach Rick Church's Buccaneers will be facing a Tuesday challenge at Temple, plus a Friday triangular at Brenham's Hohlt Park involving Kilgore and Monroe College. The Bucs averaged nine runs during their Island sweep that included a 6-2 win over Navarro on January 28.
The Bulldogs salvaged a split Sunday with Hill. The Rebels edged NC 3-2 in the opener, while Navarro bounced back and recorded a 10-2 six-inning win in the second game.
Earliest trends indicate the Bulldogs have been aggressive in fashioning a slash line of .313/.368/.491 with NJCAA rankings in several categories. Through six games, NC has 16 extra-base hits among its first 38, including six home runs. The Dawgs' near 37 percent on-base rate counts 14 walks and three hit-by-pitch, and they are experiencing team success in advancing and scoring runners.
Navarro ranks fourth nationally in sacrifice flys (5) and sacrifice hits (5), and sixth in stolen bases (23). Getting runners on base, into scoring position and home with key hits is working. Four times so far this season, Navarro's stolen three or more bases -- twice pilfering seven bases, including Sunday's second-game win over Hill. The 23 steals at this stage of the season is the most since 2014 when they reached that total in a seven-game start.
SUNDAY GAME 2: Navarro 10, Hill 2 (6 innings)
Cynthia Sizemore, Lyric Perry, Kallie Beasley and Jordyne Reese each drove in two runs in Navarro's 13-hit attack that helped freshman pitcher Kennedy Parker secure her first collegiate victory.
Perry, a Stillwater, Ok., freshman, pounded a home run for NC, which scored in five consecutive innings. Olivia Grant tripled and knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly. Catcher Brinly Burke went 2-for-2 with a walk.
SUNDAY GAME 1; Hill 3, Navarro 2
Hill erased a 2-0 deficit with a three-run fifth inning.
Leadoff-hitting catcher Nadia Almanza went 3-for-3 at the plate and stroked a run-scoring double. Cynthia Sizemore delivered Navarro's other run with a sacrifice fly.
