The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team picked up their first district win of the season on Saturday with a, 14-4, home victory over the Muleshoe Mules in five innings.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 10-5 overall, 1-1 in district play.
In the top of the first inning, Chip Green got the lead-off man, Johnny Hernandez to fly out to Gabriel Villanueva in left field for out number one. Yahir Quezada popped up to Green in foul territory for out number two, but Ryan Dominguez doubled to right field and Jake Villanueva followed it up with an RBI-double to left field, putting the Mules in front, 1-0.
Mauricio Herrera singled on a line drive to center field, as Major McNeese came up throwing to third, but the ball was missed by Dawson Adkins, allowing a run to score and Herrera to take second as they increased their lead to, 20. Green would get Julian Vargas to ground out to shortstop to retire the side.
In the Wildcats first trips to the plate, McNeese got them going with a lead-off single through the right side and Adam MacDonald laid down a sacrifice bunt to the mound that was fielded by Villanueva, who got the out at first for out number one. Brady Redman flew out to Quezada in center field, but it was deep enough for McNeese to tag up and take third on the play.
Green hit an RBI single to Vargas at third, trimming the lead to, 2-1, and he took second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball, before Adkins hit a fly ball to left field, reaching on an error as Green scored to tie the game, 2-2. Jakob Kirkland would ground out to Herrera at shortstop to end the inning.
Riley Railsback led off the second inning for Muleshoe with a triple to right field and Donovan Moreno hit a sacrifice grounded to Redman at second base, who got the out at first, as Railsback scored to put Muleshoe back in front, 3-2. Green got the next batter to strike out swinging and he got Hernandez to strike out looking to retire the side.
Mendez singled on a line drive to center field to get the home-half of the second inning going for Littlefield and Jayden Kirkland laid down a bunt and reached on an error by Hernandez. Villanueva singled on a bunt to third, as Mendez scored to tie the game, 33. Villanueva stole second on a pitch, before McNeese hit a sacrifice grounder to Herrera at shortstop and was thrown out at first, as Jayden Kirkland scored, giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game, 4-3.
MacDonald singled on a bunt to Vargas at third, and he took second on a pitch, before Redman lined out to Herrera at shortstop for out number two. Green ripped a two-RBI triple to center field, pushing their lead to, 6-3, and Adkins singled on an error by Herrera at shortstop, as Greens cored and Adkins advanced to second on the play with the score, 7-3. Jakob Kirkland singled to right field and both Adkins and Jakob Kirkland scored on an error by Moreno in right field, stretching the lead to, 9-3. Mendez popped up to Moreno in right field to end the inning.
Quezada gave the Mules a base runner in the top of the third, after reaching on an error by Mendez at shortstop and Dominguez reached on an error by Jakob Kirkland in right field, taking second on the play, as Quezada scored to trim the lead to, 9-4. Green got Herrera to strike out swinging for out number one and Dominguez was caught stealing third for out number two. Green got Vargas to fly out to McNeese in center field to retire the side.
In the bottom of the third, Jayden Kirkland lined out to Dominguez at second base for out number one, but Villanueva singled on a bunt to Vargas at third base. He stole second and third on pitches, before McNeese singled on a bunt to third, however he was thrown out trying for second, as Villanueva scored to make the score, 10-4, with two outs.
MacDonald drew a walk and took second on a pitch, before Redman singled on a ground ball to the pitcher, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Redman stole second, before Green drew a walk to load the bases and Gabe Mata singled on an error by Moreno in right field, ending up on third as Green, Redman and MacDonald all scored to stretch the lead to, 13-4.
Mata scored on a passed ball, before Jakob Kirkland grounded out to Herrera at shortstop to end the inning.
The score would stand over the next two innings, as the Wildcats run rule the Mules, 14-4, in their first meeting of district play.
Green started on the bump for the Wildcats, pitching four innings, giving up six hits, one walk and four runs, two earned, while striking out four. Mendez pitched one inning, giving up one hit, while striking out one.