THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Odessa High School Athletics

The Odessa High Bronchos put themselves squarely in the middle of the District 2-6A baseball playoff picture Saturday with a 5-2 victory over Permian at Pressly Field. Bobby Salinas pitched a complete game and Jordan Munoz delivered a game-breaking, two-run double as the Bronchos (15-8-1 overall, 5-6 district) moved ahead of the Panthers (15-14, 4-7) in the standings. After beating Permian 2-0 on Friday, Saturday's victory gave the Bronchos the series win and tiebreaker over the Panthers. With four games remaining, Odessa High head coach Joshua Hulin said there's still work to do. “Nothing really changes after this game because for us is the one in front of us,” said Hulin, whose team hosts district leader Midland Lee on Tuesday. "We've got one on Tuesday that is big. Our focus, as much as we love to win a game, immediately turns to the next one. And the next one's really big.” Salinas, who gave up two unearned runs on three hits with five walks and three strikeouts, echoed Hulin's sentiment. “We just wanted to go out there and put our best ball on the field,” Salinas said. “It was nice to have a win and it's a little sweeter that it was Permian, but we're just focused on our next game.” After playing to a scoreless tie through four innings Friday, the Bronchos jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning Saturday. Permian coach Tate Criswell said the early deficit forced the Panthers to alter their approach. "You can't be as aggressive when you're down by three runs," Criswell said. You don't want to give away outs when you're down that many, so it's hard to bunt and be aggressive on the bases. It just changes your approach offensively." The Bronchos had two on and one out in the first when Cristian Baeza beat out a bunt. Permian pitcher Teo Banks' throw to first went for an error, allowing two runs to score and sending Baeza to third, who scored on Hervey Nieto's sacrifice fly. Banks settled down to pitch into the sixth, allowing five runs on five hits, walking five and striking out two. It took until the fifth for Permian to get on the board. One-out singles by Isaiah Flores and Noey Brito and Manny Guerrero's sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with Flores scoring on a passed ball. Permian cut it to 3-2 in the sixth after Tanner Adams reached on an error and scored when Aleck Villa reached on another error. Munoz, who had one of the errors, got the runs back in the bottom of the inning with his double. Nieto led off the inning with a double and Pilar Ramirez followed with a bunt single before Munoz slapped a liner to right. The Panthers got the tying run to the plate in the seventh after Salinas walked Guerrero and Jared Carrasco with two outs, prompting Hulin to make a visit to the mound. "Bobby pitched so good the entire game," Hulin said. "It was one of those things where getting that last out is always tough. Permian wasn't going to just give it to us. "I just went out there and what can I really do as a coach except say something to give him a little confidence? I just reminded him that he'd pitched his rear end off and was one of the guys that we lean on. Just make a good pitch." Salinas got Caden Bedrick to bounce into a force play for the final out.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Odessa High School Athletics

ODESSA HIGH FINISHES OFF SERIES WITH PIVOTAL VICTORY OVER PERMIAN

SAM WALLER

Odessa American | 4/13/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Odessa Athletics