The Littlefield Wildcats’ suffered their first loss of district play on Tuesday, when they were shutout on the road by the Lamesa Golden Tornadoes, 4-0.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 6-1 in district play on the season.
Lamesa’s Cam Diaz got Jordan Trevino to strike out swinging to begin the top of the first inning, but Blake Green was hit by a pitch and Ethan Hackler and Chris Brown drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. The bases loaded threat would not come to pass, as Gus McNabb grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Diaz hit a chopper to Trevino at shortstop for out number one in the bottom half of the side, but Max Rodriguez drew a walk to give the Golden Tornadoes a base runner. Brown got Christian Ruiz to strike out swinging for out number two, but Rodriguez stole second and third, before Noah Vera struck out swinging, but on a dropped third strike that rolled all the way to the back stop, Rodriguez scored and Vela reached base safely to put Lamesa in front, 1-0.
Brown would recover, as he got Dylan Lozano to strike out swinging to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Ethan Garcia flew out to right field, before Jonavan Weaver and Jaron Cabello both struck out swinging, as the Wildcats went down in order to retire the side.
Brown got two quick out in the bottom of the second inning, as the lead-off man grounded out to Green at first base and JP Rodriguez struck out swinging. Nate Garcia hit a grounder to Trevino at shortstop, but the throw pulled Green off the bag at first to give Lamesa a runner. Diaz, though, would check his swing, making contact, as the ball rolled to Brown on the mound, who got the out at first to end the inning.
Turner Heffington popped up to Vera in foul territory at first base to begin the third inning and Trevino and Green both struck out swinging, as the Wildcats’ offensive woes continued.
In the bottom half of the third inning, Max Rodriguez flew out to Garcia in center field for out number one, but Ruiz singled up the middle and took second on a wild pitch, before Vera knocked an RBIdouble into left field on the throw in from Heffington to make the score, 3-0.
Joshua Marquez drew a walk and Lozano laid down a bunt, but Brown fielded it and got the force out at third for out number two. Vera scored on a past ball, as Lozano advanced to third on the play. Brown walked the next batter to put runners on the corners, but JP Rodriguez struck out swinging to end the rally for Lamesa.
Hackler grounded out to shortstop to begin the fourth inning, but Brown drew a walk and stole second and third, but would be stranded, as McNabb and Garcia both struck out swinging to retire the side.
Brown made quick work of the Golden Tornadoes in the bottom half of the side, as he got them to go three-up-and-three down.
Both teams would go scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings, and in the top of the seventh, Brown and McNabb struck out swinging for the first two outs, but Garcia blasted a triple into right-center field to break up the no hitter for Diaz. However, Jeremiah Salazar would line out to Marquez at shortstop to end the game.
Brown started on the mound and pitched five innings for the Wildcats, earning five strike outs, while giving up four walks and four runs. Garcia pitched the final innings for Littlefield.
The Wildcats closed out the regular season on Saturday against Brownfield. Results were not available at press time.