The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team dropped a heart-breaker on Tuesday, as they fell to the Shallowater Fillies, 5-2, in their second meeting of the season.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 6-2 in district play.
Amaya McCanick pitched a complete seven innings for the Lady Cats, giving up 12 hits, two walks and five runs, while earning eight strikeouts.
In the top of the first inning, Gracie Banks popped up to Abby Rodriguez at second base for the first out of the inning, but Skyler Stephenson knocked a double to right field and Kambreigh Baker followed it up with an RBI-triple to left field to make the score, 1-0.
Phoenix Navejar cleared the bases with a two-run homerun to right field to extend the Shallowater lead to, 3- 0. McCanick got Aspyn Saiz to pop up to Brianna Aleman at third base for out number two, but Kassidy Dutra singled up the middle to give the Fillies a base runner. Braylee Golden would strike out swinging to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first, Bryndle Ray ripped a triple to right field to lead things off for the Lady Cats, but Sophia Mata popped up to Navejar at first base for out number one. McCanick popped up to Dutra at third base for out number two, and Maggie McNeese struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Lady Cats kept the Fillies quiet in the top of the second inning, as Kynsi Sue hit a shot to Ray at shortstop, who got the out at first for out number one. Ava Martinez struck out swinging for out number two, but Gracie Banks singled just inside the right field line to give the Fillies a base runner.
Stephenson, though, would ground into a fielder’s choice to Ray at shortstop, who flipped it to Rodriguez at second base to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second, Aleman got the Lady Cats going with a single through the left side, but Hannah Lopez struck out looking for out number one. Rodriguez would fly out to Stephenson on the warning track in center field and Tailyn Gomez struck out looking to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Baker drew a lead-off walk and Navejar singled to right field to give the Fillies a pair of base runners. Saiz drew a walk to load the bases, but McCanick got Dutra to strike out looking for out number one. She would get Golden and Sue to go down swinging to retire the side.
The Lady Cats were looking for some offense in the bottom of the third, but Peyton Galvan struck out swinging for out number one and Ray flew out to Kya Arana in left field for out number two. Mata drew a walk to give the Lady Cats a base runner and McCanick singled up the middle on a diving stop by Baker, but McNeese flew out to Arana in left field to end the inning.
McCanick and the Lady Cat defense got the Fillies to go three-up-and-threedown in the top of the fourth, as Kenzie Banks flew out to Galvan in right field, Gracie Banks popped up to Rodriguez at second base and Stephenson grounded out to Rodriguez at second base to retire the side.
The Lady Cats couldn’t get anything going offensively in the home-half of the fourth, as Aleman lined out to Stephenson in center field for out number one and Lopez grounded out to Golden at second base for out number two. Rodriguez would strike out swinging to end the inning.
Baker roped a double to left field to lead off the fifth inning for Shallowater, but Navejar popped up to Lopez behind the plate for out number one. Saiz struck out looking for out number two, before Dutra singled to left field, taking second on the throw home from Gomez to hold Baker at third. McCanick would get Golden to strike out swinging to retire the Fillies, as Shallowater stranded two runners on base.
The Lady Cats’ offensive struggles continued in the bottom of the fifth, as Gomez lined out to Gracie Banks in the circle for out number one. Galvan grounded out to Golden at second base and Ray popped up in foul territory to Navejar at first base to end the inning.
Littlefield recorded two quick outs in the top of the sixth, as Peyton Ramirez popped up to Ray at shortstop, and Martinez struck out looking, before Gracie Banks singled to right-center field to give the Fillies a runner. Stephenson laid a bunt down on the first-base side, and McCanick’s throw to first was not in time, giving Shallowater a pair of base runners.
The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, before Baker ripped a two-RBI triple down the right field line to extend the Shallowater lead to, 5-0. Navejar popped up to Ray behind second base to retire the side.
The Lady Cat bats came to life in the bottom of the sixth, as Mata drew a leadoff walk and McCanick followed it up with a single to center field to give them a pair of base runners. McNeese lined out to Arana in left field for out number one, but Aleman followed it up with an RBIdouble to right-center field, trimming the lead to, 5-1.
Lopez, though, would line out to Baker at shortstop, who doubled up McCanick at third base to end the inning.
The Lady Cats kept the Fillies quiet in the top of the seventh, as they came to the plate in the bottom half of the inning looking to spark some offense. Rodriguez battled with a full count, before sending a solo homerun over the left-center field fence to cut the lead to, 5-2.
Gomez, though, would pop up to Navejar at first base for out number one and London Taylor struck out swinging for out number two. Ray would fly out to right-center field to end the game, as Littlefield fell short, 5-2.
The Lady Cats were at Idalou on Friday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Monday when they host Muleshoe for senior night.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.