The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team picked up a district win at home on Saturday, as they took down the Friona Chieftains in their first meeting of the season, 8-2.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 2-2 in district play.
Blayton Soliz started on the bump for the Wildcats pitching 3.1 innings for the Wildcats, giving up four hits, one walk and one run, while earning four strikeouts. Gabe Mata pitched 3.2 innings, giving up one hit, one walk and one unearned run, while earning two strikeouts.
The Wildcats defense kept the Chieftains off of the board in the top of the first inning, and in the home-half of the first, Mata singled on a hard ground ball to second base. He would take second on a passed ball, before Jayden Kirkland drew a walk to put runners on first and second for the Wildcats.
Cayson Villarreal hit a fly ball to center field and reached on an error by Aaron Rosales to load the bases, and Soliz hit a sacrifice grounder to Jameson Daniels on the mound, who got the out at first, as Mata scored and the runners advanced to second and third, making the score, 1-0.
Kirkland stole home, as Villarreal advanced to third, pushing their lead to, 2-0, before Dawson Adkins hit a fly ball to third base, reaching on an error by Kyson Grimsley. Adkind would steal second, before CJ Weaver hit a two-RBI double to left field, stretching their lead to, 4-0. Craig Jennings would strike out for out number two, and Ana Ayala flew out to Thomas Cook in left field to end the inning.
Littlefield made quick work of Friona in the top of the second inning, as Mason Ramos grounded out to Mata at shortstop for out number one. Cook flew out to Jennings in right field and Hector Aguirre struck out swinging to retire the side.
Carlos Almance drew a lead-off walk to begin the bottom half of the second for Littlefield and he would take second on a wild pitch to get into scoring position. Mata hit a fly ball to Eli Rosales at second base and was able to advance to second on an error as Almance made it to third on the play.
Kirkland popped up to Rosales at second base for out number one, and Villarreal laid down a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, Daniels, who got the out at first, as Almance scored and Mata advanced to third, making the score, 5-0, with two outs. Mata would score on a passed ball to extend the lead to, 6-0, before Soliz flew out to Rosales in center field to end the inning.
Soliz went back to work in the third inning, as he got Rafael Rocha to strike out swinging for out number one. Rosales singled on a grounder to Mata at shortstop, but Daniels would pop up to Jennings in right field for out number two and Rosales was picked off at second by Kirkland, as Mata was there for the tag to retire the side.
In the bottom of the third, Adkins laid down a bunt and reached on an error by Grimsley. He would steal second on a pitch, as Weaver singled on a line drive to center field, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Jennings hit a sacrifice grounder to Ramos at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Adkins scored and Weaver advanced to second, pushing their lead to, 7-0, with one out.
Weaver stole third, before Ayala hit a sacrifice grounder to Ramos at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Weaver scored to make the score, 8-0.
Almance drew a walk, and he would steal second and third, before Mata flew out to Rosales in center field to end the inning.
Friona would try and work their way back into the game to begin the fourth inning, as Rsales singled to center field on a lie drive. Grimsley, though, would line out to Almance at third base for out number one, but Aiden Tafoya ripped an RBI-double to left field, trimming the lead to, 8-1.
Mata relieved Soliz on the mound, as he got Ramos to ground out to Adkins at second base, who got the out at first, as Tafoya advanced to third with two outs. Cook would ground out to Adkins at second base to end the inning, as Littlefield held an, 8-1, lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
The score stood until the top of the sixth when Daniels singled to left field to lead-off the inning for Friona. Rosales drew a walk, but Mata got Grimsley to strike out swinging for out number one. Tafoya popped up to Weaver at first base for out number two. Daniels and Rosales advanced to third and second on a wild pitch and Ramos reached on an error by Adkins at second base, allowing Daniels to score and Rosales to take third, cutting the lead to, 82.
Ramos was picked off by Kirkland at second base, as Adkins was there for the tag to retire the side.
After being held quiet in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats came out on defense in the top of the seventh looking to close things out, as Mata got three straight ground outs to end the game, as Littlefield took the contest, 8-2.
The Wildcats were at Slaton on Tuesday to take on the Tigers. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Saturday with a road game against Dimmitt.
First pitch is scheduled for noon.