The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team run-ruled the Tulia Lady Hornets on Wednesday, 11-1, at Lady Cat Field in Littlefield.
With the win, the Lady Cats improved to 5-1 overall on the year.
In the top of the first inning, Natalia Sanchez got the lead-off, Ximena Delgado to ground out to Brinley Acevedo at second base for the first out of the game and she got Kyla Rodriguez to strike out swinging for out number two. Cece Abeja singled past Bryndle Ray up the middle, but J’Lynn Leija lined out to Acevedo at second base to retire the side.
Ray drew a lead off walk to get the bottom half of the first inning under way, but Alyssa Torres popped up to Delgado at first base for out number one. Taryn Golden, though, would unload the bases with an opposite field homerun to left field, putting the Lady Cats in front, 2-0. Sanchez drew a walk, as Taylin Gomez came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher, but she wouldn’t be there for long, as Brianna Aleman, blasted a two-run homerun to left field, stretching their lead to, 4-0.
The rally would come to an end, as Lyric Rios struck out swinging and Myli Hernandez struck out looking to end the inning.
Sanchez went back to work in the circle to begin the second inning, as Alexis Cedillo struck out swinging for out number one. Jerrica Brookins drew a walk to give Tulia a base runner and she stole second on a pitch and third on the throw down to second from Golden that got past Ray at second base. However, she would be stranded there, as Jocelyn Avila struck out swinging and Mayci Del Toro flew out to Hernandez in right-center field to retire the side.
Cali Sladana led off the bottom half of the second, but she flew out to right field on the slash bunt for out number one. Acevedo lined out to Z’Ada Yarbrough at second base for out number two, but Ray drew a walk to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Torres singled through the left side and the runners advanced to second and third on a slow throw in from the outfield.
Golden ripped a two-RBI double to left-center field, as Audrey McKinnon came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher with the score pushed out to, 6- 0. Sanchez, though would ground out to Del Toro at shortstop to end the inning.
Sanchez and the Lady Cat defense made quick work of the Lady Hornets in the top of the third inning, as Yarbrough struck out swinging for out number one. Delgado grounded out to Ray at shortstop for out number two and Rodriguez grounded out to Aleman at third to retire the side.
The Lady Cat offense was kept quiet in the bottom half of the third inning and Tulia broke through in the top of the fourth, as Abeja led off with a solo homerun to left field, making the score, 6- 1. Sanchez would recover in the circle, as she got Leija to line out to Saldana in right field for out number one. Cedillo grounded out to Aleman at third for out number two and Brookins hit a liner off of the thigh of Sanchez in the circle, but she was able to get up and make the throw to first to retire the side.
Del Toro relieved Rodriguez in the circle to begin the fourth inning, as she got Acevedo to ground out to Rodriguez at shortstop for out number one. Ray drew a wlk and took second on a pitch, before Torres ripped an RBIdouble to the left-field fence, making the score, 7-1. Torres took third on a past ball and scored a few pitches later on a past ball to make the score, 8-1, before Golden drew a walk for the Lady Cats.
Sanchez had a pop up fall in shallow right field, landing her on second and Golden on third with one out. Golden was tagged out in a rundown between third and home, but Aleman drew a walk putting runners on first and second for Littlefield with two outs. Rios was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Hernandez drew an RBIwalk to push their lead to, 9-1, before Saldana flew out to right field to end the inning.
Rios relieved Sanchez in the circle to begin the fifth inning, as Torres moved behind the plate and Maggie McNeese went into first base.
Rios got Avila to strike out looking to begin the inning and Del Toro popped up to Aleman in foul territory at third for out number two. Yarbrough singled over shortstop, but she was thrown out on the next play by Torres at second base, Raywas there for the tag to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Mackenzie Flores drew a lead-off walk and Ray walked it off with a two run inside the park homerun under the glove of Cedillo in left field, as the Lady Cats took the contest, 11-1.
Sanchez started in the circle for the Lady Cats pitching four innings. She gave up two hits, one walk and one run, while earning four strikeouts. Rios threw one inning in relief givin up one hit and earning one strikeout.