MIDLAND The Permian baseball team ran into one of its toughest challenges this season in Midland Legacy when it started a three-game District 2-6A series Tuesday.
After allowing three scoring bursts in a 14-6 loss Friday at Ernie Johnson Field, the Panthers suffered their first series sweep of the season.
“The effort was good, we just couldn’t execute,” Permian coach Tate Criswell said. “I didn’t have us ready to play this week.”
Permian finished the contest with 13 hits, but couldn’t convert scoring chances, leaving 11 runners on base.
They left the bases loaded in the top of the third and fifth innings.
The Panthers started the contest with high energy, quickly swinging at the pitches thrown by Rebel pitcher Alex Melendez.
Caleb Boswell gave Permian a positive start with a solo homer for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Midland Legacy had one of its scoring bursts in the bottom of the inning when it scored four times to jump in front.
A two-run single from Jace Martinez gave the Rebels a confidence boost before they headed into the second inning.
Permian was able to keep Midland Legacy off the board in the following two innings, looking to chip away at the deficit.
An RBI single from Boswell in the top of the second drove in Bryson Baer to make the score 4-2.
The Panthers tied the game up in the fourth when Boswell made contact again, sending a two-run home run over the center field fence.
“I thought we responded well until after the top half of the fourth,” Criswell said.
Midland Legacy took over in the bottom half of the inning, pushing across four more runs, highlighted by a three-run home runs from Casen Yonts.
Trailing 8-4, the Panthers were ultimately outscored 6-2 before the game ended.
By completing the sweep, the Rebels extended their winning streak to five games and tightened up the race at the top of the district standings.
Permian (23-7 overall, 12-4 district) is in first, followed by Wolfforth Frenship (16-9, 10-3) and Midland Legacy (18-7, 9-4).
Midland Legacy coach Eric Garcia said his team needed to get past a mental barrier after losing their first two district series against Wolfforth Frenship and Odessa High in March.
The first-year head coach believes the Rebels are buying in and getting the results they need late in the season.
“This series was huge, we talked about it last week,” Garcia said. “If we could win three, we’re right back in that district title hunt.”
The Rebels were consistent with their defensive response in the game, reacting accordingly after the Panthers would get big hits.
Permian has now suffered four losses in its last five games, defeating San Angelo Central 13-5 in its most recent victory April 9.
“There’s two types of baseball teams, those that are humble and those that are about to be,” Criswell said. “I think we learned that lesson this week.”
The Panthers will look to bounce back against Wolfforth Frenship at 4:30 p.m. April 26 at McCanlies Field.
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