SAN ANGELO It took until the early hours Monday morning but the Odessa College baseball team is still alive in its journey to win the NJCAA Region V tournament.
A two-out solo home run by Mason McLenna in the top of the 11th inning proved to be the difference as the Wranglers defeated Midland College 8-7 in 11 innings at Foster Field.
Odessa College (38-21) advances to play McLennan Community College in an elimination game at 1 p.m. today. The winner of that game faces New Mexico Junior College for the championship.
The Wranglers rallied back from deficits of 3-0 and 6-1 to keep the game alive.
Noah Dominguez finished 5 for 6 with a double and four RBIs in the win over the Chaparrals (39-20) while McLenna finished 3 for 5 with two home runs, four runs scored and three RBIs.
Pitcher Josef Cihlar got the win after pitching 6.1 innings and allowing just one run on two hits for the win. He also struck out 11 batters, including three in the bottom of the final inning to close the game out.
In the first game of the day, Deylan Moreno singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as Odessa College baseball team held on to beat North Central Texas College 6-5 in an elimination game.
Odessa College (37-21) was scheduled to play Midland College in another elimination game Sunday night that started after press time.
Against North Central Texas, Kyler Castillo homered to lead off the game and the Wranglers 3-0 after a half inning. The Lions (29-24) tied it at 3 on Tanner Goodwin’s RBI single in the fourth.
Connor Carlton (3-6) worked two innings in relief for the win, allowing two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Noah Brown went three innings to earn his eighth save.
