T-Birds split with Odessa, sit in third in WJCAC

ODESSA, Texas — The New Mexico Junior College baseball team bounced back after losing a 10-5 lead in game one to beat Odessa College 12-4 in game two and split a doubleheader Sunday and take three of four from the Wranglers.

The Thunderbirds (34-17 overall, 22-10 WJCAC) sit in third place in the conference – a game back of Midland for second and three games behind Howard College for first with four games to go. All three teams have clinched a spot in the Region V Tournament.

In game two Sunday, NMJC scored four in the second to take a 4-1 lead and never looked back – enforcing the eight-run run rule in the seventh inning after scoring three in the frame to make it 12-4 and holding the fourth-place Wranglers (28-24, 19-13).

Jacy Cave was 4-for-4 for the T-Birds in game two with a double, triple and two RBI. Branden Grieger was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs, Luis Pintor was 2-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and two runs while Angel Vega and Jeff Deimling each had two hits apiece as well.

Roberto Delgado got the win, going four innings and giving up four runs (none earned) on four hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. Blake Walden pitched the final three innings and didn't allow a run.

Seemingly using momentum after run ruling Odessa twice Saturday in Hobbs, NMJC scored five runs in the first inning and eventually led 10-5 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

But the Wranglers scored a single run in the fourth, three more in the fifth and one in the sixth and the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Owen Spiwak (who went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI).

Trenton Rousseau got the loss for NMJC, going two innings and giving up two runs on four hits in relief.

JP Rousseau went 3-for-3 with a run and RBI for NMJC, Cave went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double, Grieger was 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs and a double, Luis Pintor was 2-for-4 with two doubles, Terance Barela was 2-for-4 while Zac Sanders added a home run.

NMJC travels to take on Midland in a non-WJCAC game Wednesday before closing out the season with a four-game set against Luna in Las Vegas, N.M.