The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team rallied back to take game two of their 3A Bi-district playoff series over the Alpine Lady Bucks, 10-8, in Sweetwater to take the series, 2-0.
Mykenzie Price popped up to Alexis Rodriguez behind the circle for out number one, but Bryndle Ray was hit by a pitch and Cadence Sanchez doubled to the base of the left-field fence. Natalia Sanchez drew a walk, as Ray scored on a past ball and Cadence Sanchez took third on the play with the Lady Cats jumping out in front, 1-0.
Natalia Sanchez took second on a throw back to the pitcher and Taryn Golden chopped out to Hannah Juett in the circle, who got the out at first, as Cadence Sanchez scored and Natalia Sanchez took third on the play making the score, 2-0, with two outs. Alex Hernandez lined out to Juett in the circle to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first inning, Jaycee Portillo hit a grounder to Ray at shortstop, but the throw to first was dropped by Alex Hernandez to give Alpine a base runner. Portillo took second on a past ball and Sierra Ruckman doubled off the right-field fence to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Kody Hawkins singled through the left side to put runners on the corners for Alpine, but Puala Vargas grounded out to Cadence Sanchez in the circle for out number one.
Rodriguez hit a sacrifice to Cadence Sanchez in the circle, who got the out at first as a run scored and Hawkins advanced to third to tie the game, 2-2. Emily Sweat flew out to Ray behind third base to end he inning.
The Lady Cats were kept in check in the top of the second and in the bottom half of the inning Emyliana Hernandez popped up to Cadence Sanchez in the circle for out number one. Nayeli Acosta singled past the diving attempt by Natalia Sanchez at second base. Sierra Valenzuela singled on an error by Natalia Sanchez at second base, allowing Acosta to take third leaving runners on the corners.
Portillo laid down a bunt, as a run scored to put the Lady Bucks in front, 3-2, but Ruckman hit into a fielder’s choice to Ray at shortstop, who got the lead runner at third for out number two. Hawkins ripped a two-RBI double to the left-field fence to push their lead to, 5-2, and Vargas followed it up with an RBIdouble to right-center field to extend the lead to, 6-2.
Natalia Sanchez relieved Cadence Sanchez in the circle for Littlefield and Rodriguez knocked an RBIsingle into right-center field to stretch the lead to, 7-2, before Sweat struck out swinging to end the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Ray was hit by a pitch and took second on a ball in the dirt, before Cadence Sanchez hit a sacrifice to Rodriguez at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Ray advanced to third on the play with one out. Ray scored on a bad toss back to the pitcher by the catcher to trim the lead to, 7-3, before Natalia Sanchez and Golden drew back-to-back walks leaving runners on second and third for the Lady Cats.
Alex Hernandez knocked a two-RBI single over third base to make the score, 7-5, and she took second on a past ball, before Myli Hernandez drew a walk to put runners on first and second for Littlefield. The Runners advanced on a past ball and Alyssa Torres singled on a throwing error to first by Rodriguez, as Alex Hernandez scored to make it a one-run game, 7-6.
Torres took second on a pitch and Myli Hernandez scored on a past ball, moving Torres over to third as the Lady Cats tied the game, 7-7. Kaeleigh Logan hit a sacrifice grounder to Rodriguez at shortstop and was thrown out at first as Torres scored to put the Lady Cats in front, 8-7. Price drew a walk, as Juett was relieved in the circle by Hawkins. Ray was hit by a pitch, but Cadence Sanchez struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom of the third inning, Emyliana Hernandez singled up the middle and took second on a low pitch and third on another pitch, before Acosta struck out swinging for out number one. Valenzuela hit a slow roller to Natalia Sanchez in the circle, who got the out at first and the Cadence Sanchez fired home to Logan for the double play to get the out at the plate to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Natalia Sanchez singled up the middle to lead things off for the Lady Cats, but Golden struck out looking for out number one. Natalia Sanchez took third on a throw back to the pitcher and scored on a high throw to third by Hawkins to extend the lead to, 9-7, before Myli Hernandez struck out swinging to retire the side.
Portillo doubled over Price in center field, to begin the bottom half of the fourth, but Ruckman hit a sacrifice grounder to Golden at third, moving Portillo over to third on the throw to first with one out. Hawkins hit a sacrifice to Ray at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Portillo scored to cut the lead to, 9-8. Natalia Sanchez got Vargas to ground out to Golden at third to end the inning.
The teams went scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when Myli Hernandez singled on a throwing error to first by Rodriguez. Torres hit into a fielder’s choice to Rodriguez at shortstop, who got the out at second for out number one. Logan singled on a diving stop by Rodriguez at shortstop, as Cali Saldana came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Price hit a chopper up the middle that was fielded by Rodriguez, who stepped on second for out number two, but Torres scored on a past ball, as Price went first to third on the play, stretching their lead to, 108. Ray, though, would fly out to Valenzuela in center field to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the inning, Natalia Sanchez got the lead-off batter, Rodriguez to strike out swinging for out number one. Sweat drew a walk, but Emyliana Hernandez popped up to Cadence Sanchez on the first-base side fence for out number two and Acosta struck out swinging on a dropped third strike and was thrown out at first to end the game, as Littlefield took the Bi-district championship, 10-8, over Alpine.
Cadence Sanchez started the game in the circle pitching 1.2 innings. She gave up six hits and seven runs. Natalia Sanchez came on in relief duty and pitched 5.1 innings, giving up five hits, two walks and one run, while earning five strike outs.
The Littlefield Lady Cats will take on Bushland in the 3A Area round of the softball play-offs. Game one will be Thursday at 6 p.m. Game two will be at 5 p.m. on Friday and Game three if needed will be 30 minutes after game two.
All game will be played at Plainview High School.