The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team got off to a late start offensively on Tuesday, before taking down the Muleshoe Mules, 10-6, in their first meeting of district play.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 8-8-1 overall, 1-1 in district play.
Muleshoe jumped out to a, 2-0, lead in the first inning, but in the top of the second inning, Ethan Garcia got Oscar Cabrera to strike out looking and Moreno to strike out swinging for two quick outs. Estrada was hit by a pitch to put a runner on for the Mules, but Zach Hasley struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second, Garcia struck out swinging for out number one, but Isaiah Rodriguez drew a walk to give the Wildcats a base runner. Rodriguez took second on a pitch, before Ian Mendez hit an RBI ground rule double to left field to cut the lead to, 2-1. Jaron Cabello struck out swinging for out number two and Jordan Trevino was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike to end the inning.
Ryan Dominguez drew a walk to open the third inning for Muleshoe and took second on a past ball, before Dok Gardner grounded out to Trevino at shortstop for out number one. Dominguez took third on a pitch, before Chayton Caywood hit an RBI-double under the glove of Nick Caballero at first to extend their lead to, 3-1. Caywood took third on a past ball, before Gael Molina drew a walk.
Uriel Vasquez hit a shot back at Garcia on the mound and singled on an error, as another run scored to push the lead to, 4-1. Cabrera struck out swinging, as the runners advanced on the pitch with two outs, but Moreno drew a walk to load the bases.
Garcia was relieved on the mound by Caballero, who got Estrada to pop up to Mendez at third base to retire the side.
In the bottom of the third, Major McNeese reached base on an infield single to shortstop and took second on a pitch, before Jonavan Weaver lined out to first, and McNeese was doubled up at second, as he was stealing on the pitch to make it two outs. Caballero doubled to left field and took third on a past ball, before Brendon Bowman drew a walk, bringing Sam Hill on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Hill took second on a pitch, before Garcia drew a walk to load the bases. Caballero scored on a balk by Vasquez on the mound to trim the lead to, 4-2, before Rodriguez walked to reload the bases.
Mendez drew an RBI walk to make it a one-run game, 4-3, and Garcia scored on a balk, as the runners advanced with the game tied, 4-4, before Cabello struck out swinging to end the inning.
Caballero kept the Mules off the board in the top of the fourth inning, as Hasley flew out to Markus Rosales in right field, but Dominguez drew a walk to give the Mules a base runner. Caballero would bounce back, as he got Anthony Ngo to strike out looking and got Caywood to fly out to Rosales in right field to retire the side.
Trevino hit a shot up the middle that was fielded by Gael Molina, but he couldn’t make the throw to first, putting a runner on for the Wildcats. McNeese hit a shot off of the shin of Vasquez on the mound, but was thrown out at first, as Trevino moved up to second on the play. Weaver hit a sacrifice grounder to third and was thrown out at first, as Trevino advanced to third with two outs.
Caballero hit an RBI-double to left field, giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game, 5-4, as Brady Jones came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Dominguez relieved Vasquez on the mound for Muleshoe, as Bowman hit an RBI-single to left field to stretch the lead to, 6-4, as Hill came on to run for the catcher. However, the rally ended when Hill was picked off at second by Caywood to end the inning.
Caballero retired the Mules in order in the top of the fifth inning, as Molina struck out swinging, Vasquez was tagged out by Bowman on a dropped third strike and Cabrera hit a shot back at Caballero on the mound, who flipped it over to JJ Soria at first for the out to retire the side.
Soria led off the bottom of the fifth with a double down the thirdbase line and Rodriguez and Mendez drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Chip Green hit a fielder’s choice to Molina at shortstop, who got the out at second as Soria scored to make the score, 7-4. Trevino hit a two-RBI double into right field to stretch their lead to, 9-4, but McNeese grounded out to second base, moving Trevino over to third with two outs.
Weaver drew a walk and Caballero hit an RBI-single into right field to score Trevino and move Weaver over to third, pushing their lead to, 10-4. Bowman, though, would fly out to Vasquez in right field to end the inning.
Muleshoe added two runs in the top of the sixth as Hasley scored on a past ball and Gardner hit an RBI-single through the right side, making the score, 10-6, but the Wildcats would come out on top, in their first district meeting with the Mules.
Garcia started on the mound for the Wildcats pitching 2.2 innings, giving up four runs. Caballero pitched 4.1 innings earning six strikeouts, while giving up two walks and two runs.
The Wildcats were at Lamesa on Friday for their first meeting with the Golden Tornadoes. Results were not available at press time. They will continue district play on Tuesday with a road game against Brownfield.
First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.