The 2026 NJCAA Division I Southwest B District Tournament got underway on Wednesday afternoon at the Danny Scott Sports Complex.

In the opening game, the Temple College Leopards blew open a 2-1 game in the fifth inning with two runs in the fifth inning and five times in the sixth to secure a 9-1 win over Frank Phillips College and advanced to the winner's bracket semifinal.

The Leopards took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Ryley Litchfield doubled, and Marli Kennedy drove Litchfield home on a double to left-center field.

Frank Phillips tied the game in the top of the third. With one out, Mia Telles and advanced to second base on a throwing error. Galilea Hernandez's sacrifice bunt set up an RBI infield single from Jesirae Compean to tie the contest.

Temple took the lead back for good in the bottom of the third. Lexi Dudeczka singled and stole second base. Benavidez's flyout to right field moved Dudeczka to third. With two outs, Kaiyah Ratu dropped a bunt down between the pitcher, catcher, and third base as Dudeczka sprinted home to give Temple a 2-1 lead.

Kat Kram had pitched 3 2/3 innings before surrendering a walk to Youna Pean in the fourth. Izzy Garcia came on, allowed a walk to Elizabeth Mendoza and retired the final seven batters she faced.

Benavidez started the bottom of the fifth with a double and scored on Ratu's single to right. KyLeigh Cambiano's sacrifice fly to center scored Ratu to increase Temple's lead to 4-1.

The Leopards batted nine in the sixth inning to seal the game. Reese Cottrell's bases-loaded walk scored Brooklyn Walton, Garcia's bases-loaded walk scored Benavidez. Litchfield's single scored Jess Reyes, Cambiano was hit by a pitch to force home Ratu, and Marli Kennedy walked to force home Autumn Simmons and finish the game in run-rule fashion.

Temple sprayed 12 hits, drew eight walks, and a hit batter.

Litchfield went 3-for-4, and Dudeczka, Benavidez, Ratu, and Walton all had two hits.

Kram pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowed an unearned run on two hits, walked four and struck out four. Garcia got credit for the win, struck out four and walked one in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Despite having collected two hits, the Lady Plainsmen walked five times.

Marissa Gonzales pitched 3 1/3 innings for the loss, having allowed two runs on six hits, walked three and struck out one. Emma Flayol pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowed six runs on five hits, and walked three. Heavenly Robles allowed one run on one hit, hit a batter, and walked two in a third of an inning.

In the second game of the day, Grayson College and Midland College battled in a contest of prolific offenses and good defenses.

Matti Matthews' single scored Aniyah Pequeno with two outs in the top of the tenth inning, and Riley Mays picked up the win in relief of Natalie Moreaux as the Vikings downed the Chaparrals, 1-0.

Both teams had a handful of scoring chances.

Midland had runners on base from the second inning to the seventh. Moreaux and Mays got plenty of help from the Grayson defense to keep the lid on the run column.

Grayson had runners on in the first, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but could not push a run across.

In the top of the tenth with two outs, Pequeno singled and stole second base. Matthews drilled an 0-1 fastball into left field for a single, and it brought Pequeno in from second to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

Hannah Flores walked with one out in the bottom of the tenth. Mays induced a pair of infield flyouts to win the game for Grayson.

The Vikings collected eight hits, led by Pequeno and Matthews with two each.

Moreaux pitched six innings, allowed two hits, hit one batter, walked three and struck out nine. Mays picked up the win in four hitless innings, allowed one walk, and struck out two.

The schedule for day two of the Southwest "B" District Tournament:

10 am: Temple College vs. Grayson College, winner's bracket semifinal. Winner advances to the championship game at noon on Friday.

12:30 pm: Midland College vs. Frank Phillips College, elimination game.

3 pm: Loser of the 10 am vs. winner of the 12:30 pm game. Winner advances to the championship game Friday at noon.