>> BASKETBALL -- Wranglers play in regional semis: In Belton, the Odessa College Wranglers face a familiar opponent in the semi-
finals of the NJCAA Region 5 Tournament when they take on the Howard College Hawks at 2:30 p.m. today at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

No. 8 OC (27-4) advanced with a 91-90 overtime victory against McLennan Community College in Thursday's first round. Howard (24-7) earned its semifinal berth by beating Temple College 73-71.

OC and Howard split their two meetings in Western Junior College Athletic Conference play. The Hawks won 103-76 on Dec. 3 in Big Spring, but the Wranglers won 86-72 on Feb. 4 when they were in the middle of a 14-game winning streak.

The other semifinal is also an all-WJCAC affair with No. 7 Midland College playing South Plains College.

Today's winners play at 2 p.m. Sunday, and that winner advances to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

>> BASEBALL -- OC sweeps New Mexico Military: In Roswell, N.M., Carlos Hernandez and Trent Grondin had big days at the plate and Scott Hays and Julio Torres both pitched complete games to help the Odessa College Wranglers sweep a Western Junior College Athletic Conference doubleheader over New Mexico Military Institute on Friday.

"Any time you go on the road and get a chance to win, it's huge, especially in conference," OC coach Brian Blessie said. "We did a really good job pitching. Both Scott Hays and Julio Torres threw outstanding."

Hays allowed four hits and struck out 10 to help OC win the opener 9-0, while Torres fanned nine to lead the Wranglers to a 6-1 win in the second game.

Odessa College (14-4 overall, 4-2 conference) goes for the series sweep when the teams meet for another doubleheader at NMMI Field at noon MST today.

In the first game, Hernandez was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Nick Toussaint (1-for-3) also drove in two runs. Preston Springer and Grondin were both 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Grondin was 4-for-4 with two RBIs in the second game, while Hernandez had three RBIs. Eric Hignojos went 3-for-5.

"It was a tough day to hit," Blessie said. "The wind was blowing in about 20 miles an hour. We could have done some more things offensively in the second game, but we missed some opportunities and didn't really have a great approach."

>> SOFTBALL -- Lady Wranglers split With Lady Chaps: The Odessa College softball team earned a split with Midland College on Friday in Western Junior College Athletic Conference play.

Odessa College (16-9 overall, 7-3 conference) won the first game 6-5 but lost the second game 11-2 in five innings.
Amanda Baldonado had a double and a triple in the first game for OC. Domique Salazar had two doubles, and Marissa Araujo had two RBIs.

Midland College (18-7, 10-2) used a seven-run third inning to build a cushion in the second game.

Softball

Odessa College 6-2, Midland College 5-11

Game 1

Midland College... 000      220     1   -     5      6     1

Odessa College.... 000      320     1   -     6      9     4

Mindy Scott and Dina Ortiz. Maritza Rocha and Domique Salazar. W - Maritza Rocha. L - Mindy Scott (6-3). Sv - None. 2B - Midland College: Karina Nava; Odessa College: Amanda Baldonado, Louisa Stover, Marissa Araujo, Domique Salazar 2. 3B - Odessa College: Amanda Baldonado. HR - Midland College: Taylor Howard, Karina Nava.

--- 

 Game 2 (5 innings)

Midland College... 007        04   -   11     9      2

Odessa College.... 100        01   -     2     5      5

Carly Britton and Dina Ortiz. Shanna Dees, Hannah Dodson (3), Courtney Fogle (5) and Domique Salazar. W - Carly Britton. L - Shanna Dees. Sv - None. 2B - Midland College: Logan Zamora. 3B - None. HR - None.

Records: Midland College is 18-7 overall, 10-2 WACJC; Odessa College is 16-9, 7-3.