The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team won their home season- opener over the Brownfield Lady Cubs Tuesday night in a weather shortened game, 13-12.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 1-0 overall on the year.
Payzlea Baumann doubled to the left field fence to lead off the top of the first inning for the Lady Cubs and Jaylyn Gonzales laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Natalia Sanchez in front of the circle as she threw to first for the out, as the runner moved to third on the play. Baumann scored on a past ball to put the Lady Cubs in front, 1-0, but Brailee Franco grounded out to Brianna Aleman at third and Kenzie Gutierrez chopped out to Bryndle Ray at shortstop to retire the side.
Ray stepped into the batters box to lead things off for the Lady Cats in the home-half of the first inning, as she ripped a triple over Jaylyn Gonzales in center field; she would score on a throwing error to third, tying the game, 1-1. Alyssa Torres followed it up with a triple off of the center-field fence, before Aleman struck out swinging for out number one.
Sanchez had an RBI-single fall in shallow right field and she took second on a bad throw in from the outfield, as the Lady Cats took a one-run lead, 2-1. Sanchez took third on a ball away from the catcher and McNeese drove her in, beating out an infield single to Franco at shortstop, making the score, 3-1. Hannah Lopez singled through the left side, but Myli Hernandez struck out swinging and Audrey McKinnon grounded out to Bayli Martinez at second base to end the inning.
The Lady Cat defense made quick work of the Lady Cubs in the top of the second inning, after Zerika Gonzales ripped a double up the middle, Azanea Dominguez lined out to Ray at shortstop for out number one. Sanchez got Bayli Martinez to strike out looking for out number two and Avery Rivero chopped out to Aleman at third to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second, Brinley Acevedo led things off with a single to center field, before Ray was hit by a pitch and Torres walked to load the bases for Littlefield. Aleman hit into a fielder’s choice to Zerika Gonzales at third base, who got the force out at home for out number one.
Sanchez ripped a two-RBI single to right- center field that put Aleman on third, pushing the lead to, 5-1, as Tailyn Gomez came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. McNeese followed it up with a three-run homerun to leftcenter field to bust the game wide open, making the score, 8- 1. Hannah got the Lady Cats going again with an infield single to shortstop and Hernandez beat out an infield single to shortstop, putting runners on first and second for the Lady Cats.
McKinnon singled on an error by Bayli Martinez at second base, as Lopez scored and Hernandez advanced to third, stretching the lead to, 9-1. Acevedo grounded into a fielder’s choice to Azanea Dominguez in the circle, who got the out at first as Hernandez scored and McKinnon advanced to third. A throw into the dugout on the throw back to the pitcher scored McKinnon, extending the lead to, 11-1, with two outs.
Ray and Torres drew back-toback walks, but Aleman hit a shot up the middle that hit Ray’s foot for out number three to end the inning.
The Lady Cubs would not go down without a fight, as Kassandra Lopez got the top of the third going with a single to left-center field; the flex Mandy Martinez came on to run. Baumann followed it up with a two-run home run to left-center field to trim the lead to, 11-3. Jaylyn Gonzales gave the Lady Cubs another base runner with a double to left-center field and Franco followed it up with a single to center field. She took second on the throw in front Hernandez that hit Mandy Martinez in the base path, allowing her to score and Franco to advance to third with the score, 115.
Gutierrez singled deep in the hole to Ray at shortstop, who kept the play on the infield. She took second on a past ball that got by Lopez behind the plate, before Zerika Gonzales laid down a swinging bunt that was fielded by Lopez, who got the out at first for out number one, as Gutierrez advanced to third on the play. Dominguez drove in a run with a single to shallow right-center field, cutting the lead to, 11-6.
Bayli Martinez kept it going with an RBI-triple on a bad throw to second by Aleman on the fielder’s choice, trimming the lead to, 11-7. The rally continued, as Rivero knocked in a run on a single to center field and Lopez followed it up with an RBI-double off of the left-field fence, cutting the lead to, 11-9, as Mandy Martinez came on to run. She took third on a wild pitch and Baumann cleared the bases with a two-run homerun to tie the game, 11-11.
Amaya McCannick relieved Sanchez in the circle, as she hit Jaylyn Gonzales with a pitch to give Brownfield a runner. Franco grounded out to Ray for out number two, as the runner advanced to second with two outs. Gutierrez ripped an RBI-double down the left-field line to put the Lady Cubs in front, 12-11, but McCannick would get Zerika Gonzales to ground out to Acevedo at second base to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the third, McCannick and McNeese drew back-to-back walks and Lopez singled through the left side to load the bases, before Hernandez ripped a two-RBI double to leftcenter field to put the Lady Cats on top, 13-12, before the game was called due to weather.
Sanchez pitched 2.1 innings for the Lady Cats giving up 11 hits and 11 runs, while earning one strike out. Amaya McCannick pitched 0.2 innings giving up one walk, one hit and one run.
The Lady Cats were at Lubbock Christian on Friday to take on the Lady Eagles. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Monday at home against Hale Center.
First-pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.