The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team run-ruled the Dimmitt Bobbies, 23- 2, on Wednesday to open district-play on the road.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 9-3 overall, 1-0 in district play.
Bryndle Ray led things off with a triple to right field and Alyssa Torres was out at first on a dropped third strike, as Ray scored to put the Lady Cats in front, 1-0, with one out. Brianna Aleman was safe at first on a dropped third strike and Natalia Sanchez cleared the bases with a two-run homerun to center field, pushing their lead to, 3-0.
Maggie McNeese, though, would ground out to Julia LaRue in the circle for out number two and Myli Hernandez was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the first, Sanchez got Ximena Terrazas to strike out swinging for out number one, before giving up a walk to Ysenia Dones. LaRue singled to right-center field and Lauren Medeles singled to right field to load the bases for the Bobbies. Adryane Rosas struck out swinging for out number two, but Mia Pacheco drew a walk to bring in a run, trimming the lead to, 3-1. Sanchez would bounce back, as she got Nathalia Ogaz to strike out looking to end the inning.
In the top of the second, Cali Saldana doubled off of the top of the center- field fence to lead things off for the inning and Hannah Lopez laid down a sacrifice bunt on the third-base side, that was fielded by Dones, who got the out at first, as Saldana advanced to third with one out. Saldana scored on a passed ball to push their lead to, 4-1, as Brinley Acevedo drew a walk to give the Lady Cats a base runner.
Acevedo took second on a passed ball and third on a pitch, before scoring on another passed ball to make the score, 5-1. Ray followed it up with a triple to rightcenter field and Torres drove her with an RBI-single past Cheyenne Johnson at shortstop to stretch the lead to, 6-1. Torres took second on a passed ball and third on a pitch, before Aleman blasted a two-run homerun to left field, extending their lead to, 8-1.
Sanchez drew a walk, before stealing second and third, and McNeese hit a sacrifice grounder to Medeles at second base, who got the out at first, as Sanchez scored to push their lead to, 9-1, with two outs. Hernandez tripled to right field and Saldana followed it up with an RBI-double that fell in shallow center field, stretching the lead to, 10- 1.
Lopez would clear the bases with a two-run homerun to left field, the Lady Cats’ third long ball of the game, pushing the lead to, 12- 1. Acevedo was hit by a pitch to put a runner on for Littlefield and she stole second, before Ray blasted an RBI- triple to right field, making the score, 13-1. Torres kept the two-out rally going with an RBI-double to left field to make the score, 14-1, before Aleman hit a shot off of the leg of LaRue in the circle, who got the out at first to retire the side.
Sanchez made quick work of the Bobbies in the home- half of the second inning, as Johnson and Yacqui Rodriguez both struck out looking and Terrazas struck out swinging to end the inning.
Sanchez got the third inning going with a single up the middle and she took second on a pitch, before McNeese laid down a bunt on the first- base side that was bobbled by LaRue trying to make the play at first, as Sanchez scored to push their lead to, 15- 1. Hernandez laid down a bunt for a single and the runners advanced to second and third on a ball away from the catcher. McNeese would score on a passed ball to make the score, 16-1, and Saldana would strike out swinging, but made it to first base, and a throwing error to first allowed Hernandez and Saldana to score on the play, stretching their lead to, 18-1.
Lopez struck out swinging for out number one, but Acevedo was hit by a pitch to give the Lady Cats a base runner. She took second on a passed ball, before Ray ripped her fourth triple of the game to the center- field fence to bring in a run, extending the lead to, 19- 1. Ray scored on a passed ball, before Torres drew a walk with the Lady Cats in front, 201.
Torres stole second on a passed ball and Aleman drove her in with an Rbi- single to right field to make the score, 21- 1. Sanchez would send a bomb over the scoreboard in center field to clear the bases and make the score, 23- 1, before McNeese struck out looking for out number two. Amaya McCanick grounded out to Rosas at third base to retire the side.
In the home half of the third, Dones was thrown out at first by Lopez on a dropped third strike for out number one, but LaRue homered to left- center field to trim the lead to, 23- 2. Medeles, though, would ground out to Sanchez in the circle for out number two and Rosas would strike out swinging to end the game.
Sanchez pitched three innings, giving up three hits, two walks and two runs, while striking out eight batters.
The Lady Cats hosted Shallowater on Saturday as district play continued. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Idalou.
First- pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.