The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team fell short on the road on Friday, falling to the Lubbock Christian Lady Eagles, 8-6.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 1-1 overall on the year.
In the top of the first inning, Bryndle Ray popped out for out number one, but Alyssa Torres was hit by a pitch to give the Lady Cats a base runner. She would take second on a wild pitch, before Brianna Aleman struck out swinging for out number two. Natalia Sanchez drew a walk and Maggie McNeese singled on an error by Mylee Blacklock, that allowed Torres to score and Sanchez and McNeese advanced to third and second, making the score, 1-0, with two outs.
Hannah Lopez, though, would strike out looking to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first, Sanchez got Val Sanderson to ground out to Aleman at third base for out number one. Annabelle Dahlstrom singled on an error by Brinley Acevedo at second base and Blacklock followed it up with a two-run home run to center field to put the Lady Eagles in front, 21.
Andi Wood doubled on a line drive to center field to give LCHS a base runner. Wood stole third on a pitch, before Audri Shaw laid down a bunt that was fielded by Sanchez and thrown home to Lopez, who tagged out Wood trying to score for out number two. Shaw advanced to second on a pitch, before Holly Marquette drew a walk. However, Keelyn Daniel would pop out to McNeese at first base to end the inning.
Myli Hernandez lined out to right field to begin the second frame and Tailyn Gomez struck out looking for out number two. Acevedo drew a walk to give the Lady Cats a runner and she advanced to second and third on passed balls, before Ray popped up to second base reaching on an error, as Acevedo scored to tie the game, 2-2.
Torres doubled on a hard ground ball to center field for an RBI, putting the Lady Cats back in front, 3-2. Aleman was hit by a pitch, but Sanchez grounded out to shortstop to retire the side.
Littlefield was able to keep the Lady Eagles quiet in the bottom half of the second, as Sanchez got Micah Rios to pop up to Lopez behind the plate for out number one. Alex Garrett drew a walk, but Sanderson struck out swinging for out number two. Dahlstrom was hit by a pitch, but Sanchez got Blacklock to line out to Torres in left field to end the inning.
The Lady Cats were unable to get anything going in the top of the third and in the bottom half of the inning, Wood led things off with a solo homerun to center field to tie the game, 3-3. Sanchez would respond in the circle, as she got Shaw to ground out to the circle for out number one. Marquette singled up the middle, but Daniel hit into a fielder’s choice, as Ray got the force out at second for out number two.
Rios reached on an error by Sanchez, but Garrett would strike out looking to end the inning.
Acevedo singled on an error to begin the fourth inning, but Ray popped up to third base for out number one. Acevedo took second on a passed ball, before Torres singled to shortstop, moving Acevedo over to third to put runners on the corners for the Lady Cats. Torres stole second, before Aleman singled on a flyball to score the run from third, putting them back in front, 4-3.
Sanchez, though, would strike out swinging for out number two and McNeese struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Sanderson led off with a double to center field and Dahlstrom followd it up with an RBI-single to center to tie the game, 4-4. Blacklock singled to center field, putting runners on first and second for LCHS, and Wood hit a two- RBI double through the left side to put the Lady Eagles on top, 6-4.
Shaw popped up to Aleman at third base for out number one, but Marquette hit a sacrifice grounder to Ray at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Wood scored to push their lead to, 7-4. Sanchez would get Daniel to ground out to Aleman at third base to end the inning.
The Lady Cats would not go away, as Lopez got the fifth inning going with a line drive to center field and Hernandez singled on a bunt to put two runners on for Littlefield. Gomez loaded the bases with a bunt, but Acevedo struck out looking and Ray struck out swinging for two outs. Torres would double on a line drive to right field to score two runs, cutting the lead to, 7-6, but Aleman popped up to second base to retire the side.
Lubbock Christian would added a run in the bottom of the fifth, as they went on to take the contest, 8-6.
Sanchez pitched a complete game giving up 10 hits, two walks and eight runs, six earned, while earning five strike outs.