The Odessa High baseball team gave its playoff hopes a big boost Friday with a 2-0 victory against Permian at McCanlies Field.

Odessa High’s Cristian Baeza pitched a complete-game, three hit shutout and drove in the only run the Bronchos needed, while Bobby Salinas doubled and homered to account for most of the offense.

The Bronchos (14-8-1 overall, 4-6 District 2-6A) pulled into a tie for fourth place with the Panthers (15-13, 4-6) and evened the season series between the teams.

“That was just a lot of fun,” Odessa High coach Joshua Hulin said. “I thought it was a typical game between Odessa High and Permian. They’re a really good ball team and Cristian pitched his tail off and we got a couple of big hits from Bobby.

“It was a lot of fun to watch and we look forward to (Saturday).”

The rubber game of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Odessa High’s Pressly Field. Permian won the first meeting 7-6 on March 1 at Security Bank Ballpark as part of Midland’s Tournament of Champions.

“Both times we’ve played them, it’s been a playoff-type atmosphere,” Permian coach Tate Criswell said. “That is good for our kids and good for their kids.

“Hats off to Cristian Baeza. He’s a good pitcher and he had a good day today. We didn’t execute some things offensively and that’s 100 percent my fault, but he had a great performance.”

Baeza, who struck out nine and walked three, allowed just one baserunner to reach third base in outdueling Permian’s McCray Gann.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Baeza said. “We just kept fighting and going and going. If a guy got a hit, we just kept going. It’s contagious.”

Gann, who took a no-hitter into the fifth, was charged with a run on three hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked two. Permian catcher Taylor Sullivan had the best seat in the house to watch the sophomore’s performance.

“For him to come up here and play like an upperclassman and play with confidence, it means a lot,” Sullivan said. “I’m very glad for him doing that for us today.”

Gann faced just two batters over the minimum through four innings, issuing a pair of walks to Gibrian Pena in the first and fourth. Salinas, who at 2 for 3 had the only multiple-hit performance by either team, broke up the no-hit bid when he led off the fifth with a double to left-center.

Pinch runner Isaiah Rodriguez advanced on Jordan Munoz’s fly ball to right before Baeza laced a single to left to give the Bronchos the lead.

Odessa High missed a chance to add to the lead when courtesy runner Angel Rios went from first to third on Charles McClure’s bunt single. Sullivan picked Rios off and Gann struck out Gabriel Avila to limit the damage.

Salinas added an insurance run when he led off the seventh with a home run off Permian reliever Jordan Muschalek.

Permian’s best scoring chance came in the second inning when Caden Bedrick doubled with one out and advanced on a passed ball. Easton Hernandez walked to put runners on the corners, but was caught stealing by Bronchos catcher Pilar Ramirez with Bedrick holding at third.

The Panthers were unable to build on a one-out walk to Isaiah Flores in the third and leadoff singles by Hernandez in the fifth and Manny Guerrero in the sixth as Baeza was able to avoid further trouble.
