The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team dropped a tough loss to the District- leading Muleshoe Lady Mules on Tuesday, 10-9.
With the loss, the lady Cats fall to 14-7 overall, 6-4 in district play.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third inning. Bryndle Ray popped up to Heaven McMullen in foul territory for out number one, but Alyssa Torres singled on an error by Yazlynn Ramirez at shortstop to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Bri Aleman struck out swinging for out number two, as Torres stole second on the pitch and Natalia Sanchez ripped an RBI-single to center field to put the Lady Cats in front, 1-0.
Maggie McNeese would strike out swinging to retire the side.
Amaya McCanick hit both Madison Ortega and Addilene Blanco with a pitch, putting two runners on for the Lady Mules, but she would recover in the circle, as she got Elena Cisneros and McMullen both to strike out swinging for two outs. Adalie Agundis drew a walk to load the bases and Melanie Martens drew a walk to bring in a run and tie the game, 1-1, before Zoe Bustillos flew out to Torres in left field to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, Abby Rodriguez popped up to first base for out number one, but Cali Saldana singled to left-center field and McCanick hit a sacrifice to Blanco at third, who got the out at first, as Saldana advanced to second on the play with two outs. Myli Hernandez singled to right field as the ball got by Ortega in right field allowing Hernandez to round the bases and score on the play, making the score, 3-1. Ray would pop up to Agundis on the first-base line to retire the side.
In the home-half of the fourth inning, Ramirez singled to left field and Isabela Elizalde singled to right field, but Ramirez was thrown out at second for the first out of the inning. Ortega drew a walk and Blanco hit a shot off of the glove of McCanick in the circle to load the bases. Cisneros drove an RBIsingle up the middle to cut the lead to, 3-2.
Sanchez relieved McCanick in the circle and gave up back-toback walks, as Muleshoe took the lead, 4- 3. Martens hit into a fielder’s choice to Aleman at third, who got the out at the plate to stop the run from scoring, and Sanchez got Bustillos to strike out looking to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Torres led things off with a single passed third base and she went first-to-third on a bad pick-off attempt to first by Martens. Aleman would drive her in as she reached on an error to tie the game, 4-4. Sanchez doubled off of the left field fence and McNeese hit a short-fly ball to third that was missed by Blanco to load the bases for the Lady Cats.
Rodriguez ripped a two-RBI double to left field to stretch their lead to, 6-4 and Saldana followed it up with a two-RBI double to center field that was dropped by Elizalde, pushing the lead to, 8-4. McCanick hit a shot back at Agundis in the circle and was thrown out at first for out number two and Hernandez flew out to Cisneros in left field to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the inning, Ramirez singled through the left side and Elizalde doubled over Saldana in center field putting runners on second and third for the Lady Mules with no outs. Andrea Rivas grounded out to Aleman at third, who got the out at first, while keeping the runners from scoring. Blanco, though, would rip a two-RBI double to left field to trim the lead to, 8-6.
Cisneros laid down a bunt, but the ball hit her after she left the batters box and she was called out for out number two. McMullen drew a walk and Agundis walked to load the bases, before Martens drove in a run on an error by Ray at shortstop, making the score, 8--7. Sanchez would get Bustillos to pop up to McCanick at second base to end the inning.
Ray drew a lead-off to begin the sixth inning, but Torres hit into a fielder’s choice to Blanco at third, who got Ray out at second for the first out of the inning. Aleman popped up to Martens behind the plate for out number two, but Sanchez ripped an RBI-double down the left-field line to extend their lead to, 9-7, before McNeese grounded out to Ramirez at shortstop to retire the side.
The score remained until the bottom of the seventh when McMullen and Agundis drew back-to-back walks to lead things off. Martens ripped an RBI-double to left field, trimming the lead to, 9-8, with runners on second and third. McCanick got Ramirez to strike out swinging for the first out of the inning, but a thrown down to second by Hannah Lopez rolled into center field allowing a run to score to tie the game, 9-9, and the throw in from Saldana was caught by McCanick who then threw it to second, looking for another out, but the ball was bobbled at second base, allowing Martens to score and walk it off, as Littlefield fell to the Lady Mules, 10-9.
McCanick started in the circle for the Lady Cats pitching 4.1 total innings, giving up four hits, seven walks and six runs, five earned, while striking out six batters. Sanchez pitched two innings, giving up three hits, five walks and four runs, one earned, while striking out two batters.
The Lady Cats hosted Roosevelt on Saturday for their second meeting with the Lady Eagles. Results were not available at press time. They will wrap up their season on Thursday with a road game against Slaton.
First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.