The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team struggled on both sides of the ball on Saturday afternoon, as they fell to the Denver City Mustangs, 10-0, in their first meeting of district play.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 0-2 in district play.
In the top of the first inning, Ian Mendez got the lead-off man, Erik Estrada to fly out to Markus Rosales in right field for out number one, but Johnny Martinez singled through the left side and Miles Riley ripped a double to the right-field fence. Jacen Yanez hit a two-RBI single to right-center field, making the score, 2-0, as Camdon Huse came on as the courtesy runner.
Daniel Ceniceros flew out to Major McNeese in right-center field for out number two, but Jonathan Rodrigues singled on an error by Elijah Salazar at second base and Daniel Gonzales walked to load the bases for Denver City. Mendez would leave the bases loaded, as he got Armando Saldana to strike out swinging to retire the side.
McNeese singled up the middle on a diving stop by the shortstop, Martinez, and he took second on a pitch, before Mendez struck out swinging for out number one. Isaiah Rodriguez grounded out to Riley at third, as McNeese took third on the throw to first with two outs, but Brenden Bowman lined out to Estrada in center field to end the inning.
Samrey Garcia and Estrada drew back-to-back walks to begin the second inning for the Mustangs and Martinez laid down a bunt on the third- base side, that was fielded by Mendez, who got the lead runner at third for out number one. Riley drew a walk to load the bases for Denver City and Yanez knocked a two-RBI single through the right side and another run scored on the throw in from right field that got by Bowman at the plate to make the score, 5-0.
Bowman relieved Mendez on the mound, as he got Ceniceros to fly out to Salazar in deep left field and Rodrigues to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The score remained until the top of the fifth inning, when Rodrigues singled on a grounder deep in the hole to Mendez at shortstop. Gonzales drew a walk, but Saldana bunted to Bowman on the mound, who tossed it to Green at third base for the fielder’s choice for out number one.
The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, before Garcia popped up to Adam MacDonald at first for out number two. Estrada hit a two-RBI chopper to shortstop that got past Mendez; he took second on the throw home from Salazar, making the score, 7-0. Estrada was canned at third by Armando Ramon with the tag by Green to retire the side.
Littlefield’s offensive struggles continued and in the top of the sixth, Denver City’s first two batters reached on walks, before Bowman was relieved on the mound by Rodriguez. Yanez drew a walk and Ceniceros followed it up with a three-RBI double down the leftfield line to stretch their lead to, 10-0. Rodriguez got the next three batters to go three-up-and-threedown, to get to the bottom of the sixth.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Wildcats needed at least one run to extend the game, but Mendez led things off with a pop up to Riley in shallow center field for out number one. Rodriguez flew out to Estrada in left-center field, but the ball was dropped to give Littlefield a base runner.
Bowman, though would fly out to Estrada in right-center field and Green flew out to left field to end the game, as the Wildcats were run-ruled at home by the Mustangs, 10-0. Mendez pitched 1.1 innings for the Wildcats, giving up five runs and four walks, while earning one strike out. Bowman pitched 3.2 innings, giving up five walks and two runs, while earning three strike outs, and Rodriguez pitched one inning, giving up three runs and one walk, while earning one strike out.