On a cool day, the Odessa High baseball team was plenty hot.

The Bronchos had everything go their way Saturday, grabbing an early lead and rolling to a 10-1 victory over Amarillo Tascosa at Pressly Field.

Cristian Baeza had a big day on the mound and at the plate as Odessa High (11-5-1 overall, 1-2 District 2-6A) broke into the win column in the district standings. The Bronchos also received strong offensive performances from pretty much the entire lineup, totaling 12 hits, including five for extra bases.

“That was probably the most complete game we’ve had — offensively, defensively, pitching,” Odessa High coach Joshua Hulin said. “We just played really good. I’m proud of the guys.”

Baeza finished 4 for 4 with a double, a triple and an RBI while his courtesy runner, Alex Cadena, scored four times. On the mound, Baeza allowed an unearned run on four hits and a walk while striking out six. He said Odessa High’s two-run first inning helped set the tone.

“That was a big shift of momentum,” Baeza said. “I guess everyone got on their horse and said, ‘let’s go.’ Everyone was on board and we just played hard.”

Bobby Salinas homered and drove in four runs in going 2 for 3. Hervey Nieto was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, while Jordan Munoz was 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI. Gibrian Pena reached base three times and scored twice, with Pilar Ramirez and Charles McClure each driving in a run.

“We just wanted to go out there and dive right into the game,” Salinas said. “We didn’t want to sit back. We wanted to stay in there.

“The other day (in a 3-2 loss to Wolfforth Frenship), we were hitting the ball good, we were just hitting it right at people. Today, we wanted to stick with it and hit the ball, and they fell for us.”

The Bronchos grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, starting with four consecutive hits against Tascosa starter Harris Shoemaker. Nieto doubled in the first run and Salinas followed with a bouncer over third base to bring in the second.

The Bronchos broke the game open with three runs in both the third and fourth innings. In the third, Odessa High loaded the bases with no outs before Salinas was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Ramirez delivered a sacrifice fly and Munoz blooped an RBI single into right field. In the fourth, Baeza doubled in a run and Salinas connected for his third homer of the season.

Odessa High closed it out with runs in both the fifth and sixth. Munoz led off the fifth with a triple and scored on McClure’s groundout. Baeza tripled in the sixth and Nieto followed with an RBI single.

Meanwhile, Baeza faced the minimum through four innings, erasing Tascosa’s first hit with a double play in the third.

“My fastball was working,” Baeza said. “It was cutting and moving.”

The Rebels (8-9, 0-3) got on the board in the fourth when Mason Martinez worked a two-out walk, went to third on Shoemaker’s single and scored when the throw in went for an error.

Shoemaker finished 2 for 3 with a double. On the mound, he was charged with 10 runs on 12 hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

“(Shoemaker) is a really good pitcher,” Hulin said. “He competes really well and he’s always given us trouble. For us to come out and hit the ball like that against a good pitcher like that, there’s not much else to say except I’m happy with the guys.”

Tascosa threatened again in the fifth when Kyler Pace and Jon Cantu singled with two outs before Baeza closed it out.
