GRAND PRAIRIE Noah Bartlett pitched his third complete game of the season Saturday and Tresten Kennard and Mitch Holding combined for five RBIs as Odessa College beat Howard College 6-2 in an elimination game at the NJCAA Region V baseball tournament at AirHog Stadium.
The Wranglers (34-24) will meet Midland College in another elimination game at 1 p.m. Sunday. Howard College finished its season at 35-21. Odessa College and the Hawks split their four WJCAC meetings with each team winning once at home and once on the road.
Bartlett (8-6) held the Hawks to six hits while striking out six and walking none. The two runs he allowed came on solo homers by Bryan Sturges in the first inning and Aaron Samaniego leading off the eighth.
Kennard went 3 for 4, finishing a home run shy of the cycle, and drove in three runs. Cal Pequeno was 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Kennard tripled with the bases loaded in the third to give Odessa College the lead for good. Holding tripled in two runs in the fifth and Pequeno added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Tyler McKay (8-3) took the loss for Howard College, giving up five runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings. He struck out six, walked two and hit three batters.
Midland College (36-21) dropped into the losers’ bracket with a 9-1 loss in eight innings to Temple College. The Wranglers beat the Chaparrals three times in their conference series last week to claim the WJCAC’s fourth regional berth and are 4-2 overall against Midland College this season.
Odessa………. 003 020 001 — 6 8 0
Howard……… 100 000 010 — 2 6 2
Noah Bartlett and Mitch Holding. Tyler McKay, Ryan Williams (6), Denny Bentley (7), Ryan McKay (9), Jacob Salim (9) and Reese O’Farrell. W — Bartlett (8-6). L — McKay (8-3). 2B — Odessa College: Tresten Kennard, Cal Pequeno 2. 3B — Odessa College: Kennard, Holding. HR — Howard College: Bryan Sturges (20), Aaron Samaniego (7).
Records — Odessa College 34-24, Howard College 35-21.
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NJCAA Region V Tournament
At AirHog Stadium, Grand Prairie
Double elimination
x-if necessary
Friday’s games
FIRST ROUND
GAME 1: Grayson College 17, Howard College 0
GAME 2: Cisco College 8, Odessa College 3
GAME 3: Midland College 9, McLennan Community College 5
GAME 4: Temple College 9, New Mexico Junior College 6
Saturday’s games
LOSERS’ BRACKET
GAME 5: Odessa College 6, Howard College 2, Howard College eliminated
GAME 6: McLennan Community College 9, New Mexico Junior College 8, NMJC eliminated
WINNERS’ BRACKET
GAME 7: Cisco College 11, Grayson College 7
GAME 8: Temple College 9, Midland College 1, 8 innings
Sunday’s games
LOSERS’ BRACKET
GAME 9: McLennan Community College (41-15) vs. Grayson College (39-16), 10 a.m.
GAME 10: Odessa College (34-24) vs. Midland College (36-21), 1 p.m.
WINNERS’ BRACKET
GAME 11: Cisco College (51-6) vs. Temple College (35-21), 5 p.m.
GAME 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 8 p.m.
Monday’s games
LOSERS’ BRACKET FINAL
GAME 13: Game 11 loser vs. Game 12 winner, 1 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
GAME 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 5 p.m.
Tuesday’s game
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
x-GAME 15: Game 14 winner vs. Game 14 loser, 1 p.m.
