The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team saw their season come to an end in the Class 3A Regional Semi-Final round of the play-offs on Saturday at Abilene Christian University, as they fell to the Brock Eagles in Game two, 11-4.
Tyler Moody drew a lead-off walk in the first inning for Brock and Cash Jones laid a bunt down the first-base line that was fielded by Chris Brown, who slipped on the play and was unable to make the play at first. Peyton Shaffer hit a sacrifice fly to Ethan Garcia in right field that allowed Moody to tag-up from second and advance to third with one out.
Jaxon Gleaton was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Camden Harris hit a two-RBI single through the left side to make the score, 2-0. Brown got Luke Stills to strike out swinging for out number two and Sawyer Strosnider hit a chopper on the first-base line that was fielded by Brown, who threw to first for the out to retire the side.
In the home half of the first inning, Jordan Trevino singled to left-center field to lead things off for the Wildcats and Blake Green singled through the left side, before Brown singled on an error by Jaxon Gleaton at shortstop to load the bases. Gus McNabb hit an RBI-chopper to Jaxon Gleaton at shortstop and beat the throw to first, trimming the lead to, 2-1.
Green scored on a past ball to tie the game, 2-2, as the runners advanced to second and third on the play. Garcia hit a liner to third that was fielded on a backhand by Stills, who checked the runners before firing to first for out number one. Davin Saldana hit an RBIsingle through the left side, moving McNabb over to third with the Wildcats now in front, 3-2. Hackler lined out to Jaxon Gleaton at shortstop, who doubled up Jaron Cabello at first base to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Brown gave up a lead-off walk to Tyler Riddle, but Josh Gleaton popped up a bunt to Saldana for out number one. Eli Potts took second on a wild pitch, before Moody was walked to put runners on first and second for the Eagles with one out. Jones was walked to load the bases and Shaffer hit an RBI-single on a missed dive by Salazar at second base to tie the game, 3-3.
Jaxon Gleaton laid a squeeze bunt down the third-base line to regain the lead for Brock, 4-3, and Harris hit an RBI fielder’s choice to Trevino at shortstop, who got the force out at second for out number two. Stills followed it up with a two-RBI double to right field that was missed on a diving attempt by Green, pushing the lead out to, 7-3. Brown would get Strosnider to ground out to Salazar at second base to retire the side.
The Wildcats were kept quiet in the bottom of the second inning, and Brock tacked on another run in the top of the third to make the score, 8-3.
The Wildcats went down in order in the bottom of the third inning, and in the Eagles added two runs in the top of the fourth inning to make the score, 10-3.
The Wildcat’s offense broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning as Garcia doubled to left field and Saldana reached base on an infield single deep in the hole to Moody at second base, moving Garcia over to third to put runners on the corners for Littlefield.
Cabello struck out looking for out number one, but Weaver hit an RBI-single to right field, moving Saldana over to third, with the score trimmed to, 10-4. Heffington though would ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Brock added a run in the top of the seventh to take down the Wildcats, 11-4, as Littlefield’s season came to an end.
Brown pitched two innings for the Wildcats, giving up seven walks and seven runs, while earning one strikeout. Green pitched five innings for Littlefield, giving up four runs and two walks, while earning two strike outs.