MIDLAND The nonconference matchup between the Odessa College and Midland College baseball teams Wednesday didn’t look too different from their previous meetings earlier this season.
The teams combined for 45 hits and kept the score close until the end, when a two-run homer from Ryan Blackwell secured a 20-18 victory for Midland College.
Odessa College coach Kurtis Lay gave multiple team members a chance to see some at-bats and time on the mound, using the midweek contest as preparation for their weekend Western Junior College Athletic Conference series against Clarendon College.
“It was our third baseman on the pitcher’s mound, looking for other solutions and looking for other answers,” Lay said. “Conor Myles hadn’t pitched an inning this spring, he pitched the seventh and Liam MacDonald had a really clean eighth.
“For the first time out unfortunately it’s a slow-pitch softball day, wind’s blowing out, I’m shocked it wasn’t 24-24.”
A solo home run from Chase Diggins in the top of the first helped Odessa College open the scoring, while a sacrifice fly from Nathan Van Mannen put them up 2-0 before heading into the bottom of the frame.
Cadon Everett then looked solid on the mound, striking out the side to maintain the Wranglers advantage at the end of the inning.
After that, Odessa College couldn’t keep the Chaps off the board as they scored 16 runs from the second to the fifth innings, four more than the Wranglers during that stretch.
The visitors also spent much of the game shuffling through their bullpen, looking for more consistent outings from their pitchers.
Odessa College closed out the contest with nine pitchers seeing playing time, combining to record seven strikeouts.
With Midland College leading 16-14, the game’s most important stretch came in the sixth inning.
A two-run single from Austin Russell drove in Argenis Santana and Diggins to tie the game up in the top of the frame.
Myles gave Odessa College the lead two at-bats later with a single to center field that drove in Diggins.
An RBI double from MacDonald scored Brock Slaton in the seventh, giving the Wranglers a two-run cushion after keeping the Chaps off the board in the bottom of the sixth.
After Midland College scored again in the bottom of the seventh, the Wranglers held a one-run lead until the bottom of the ninth.
Facing one out, Rhett Clark drove Chris Garcia in with an RBI single before Blackwell’s two-run shot to left center field ended the contest.
Before the loss, Odessa College was on an eight-game winning streak which included a series sweep of New Mexico Military Institute.
Lay said he won’t dwell on the midweek contest as his team prepares for its next road trip.
“I’ve pretty much already forgotten today, win or lose I had a goal coming in today and that was to get as many guys in the ball game as I potentially could,” Lay said. “Get two guys who have never been on the pitcher’s mound, give them some mound time and see if they might be able to help us moving forward.”
The head coach added that he was pleased with the effort he got from MacDonald and Myles, seeing the duo record three strikeouts in their short pitching stint against the Chaps.
Odessa College (29-17 overall, 15-9 conference) will open its four-game series against Clarendon College with a doubleheader beginnnig at noon Friday in Clarendon.
>> Follow Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya
