The Odessa High softball team’s bats were alive and well Tuesday night against Amarillo Tascosa.
The Lady Bronchos scored at least one run in every inning it stepped to the plate to complete a dominating mercy-rule victory.
Odessa High topped the Lady Rebels 16-1 in District 2-6A action at the Ratliff Softball Complex.
Leading the way for Odessa High (16-4-1 overall, 2-1 District 2-6A) was freshman Sierra Camacho — who not only picked up the win after pitching the game’s final three innings, but also rocketed two home runs for seven RBIs.
“We just came all together as a team and played our game,” Camacho said. “(Amarillo Tascosa) is a good team; no team is an easy push over so it was good to get a win like this together.”
Odessa High starting pitcher Elva Castillo walked three of Amarillo Tascosa’s first four batters to quickly load the bases for a first-inning jam.
Then the Lady Bronchos’ defense was able to settle in and not let a run cross home plate.
In the bottom of the first, Odessa High drew walks itself — putting runners on first and second base for Camacho’s first at-bat of the game.
Camacho waited for the right pitch — just like several other Lady Bronchos did in the game. When Camacho saw what she was waiting for, she easily drilled the ball over the scoreboard in left field for the first of her two longballs in the game.
“We worked really hard on attacking the ball when we see good pitches and I felt the girls were really disciplined tonight on waiting for that pitch,” Odessa High head coach Rachel Pena said. “That’s what we were hoping for tonight — an offensive spurt with some scoring and that’s what we needed.”
After a much quicker top of the second inning, the Lady Bronchos once again put up three runs on the scoreboard to lead by six.
The Lady Rebels (5-19-1, 0-3) scored their lone run in the top of the third inning after once again loading the bases and having designated player Jade Contreras single in the run.
Odessa High blew open the game from there with 13 batters getting a chance at the plate in the bottom of the third, resulting in nine runs.
During that span, the first three Odessa High hitters reached base, loading them up for Camacho.
Again, Camacho found her pitch and sent it over the fence in right field for a grand slam. Sophomore Skylar Herrera made the Lady Bronchos go back-to-back by sending the next pitch out of the stadium.
“She’s been an extreme pleasure to have because she brings energy and she brings excitement,” Pena said about Camacho. “And that I think that’s what makes her successful. She wants to be here and she wants to compete. It doesn’t matter what grade she’s in to me or to her.”
The Lady Bronchos added their last run of the game in the fourth inning to finish off one of their best offensive performances of the season.
“I think the score showed how well we adjusted to the pitching,” Pena said. “We talked about how our district is so tough, every game is like a playoff game to us and that’s how were approaching it.”
The win puts Odessa High in a four-way tie atop the District 2-6A standings with Permian, Midland High and Wolfforth Frenship.
Up next for the Lady Bronchos is another home game against Frenship on Friday.
