The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team began their 3AArea Playoff series on Thursday with the Bushland Lady Falcons in Plainview, dropping game one, 6-0.
The Lady Cats were up to bat in the top of the first, but couldn’t get anything going, as Mykenzie Price grounded out to Abby Howell at third for out number one. Bryndle Ray struck out swinging for out number two and Cadence Sanchez grounded out to Kylee Jordan at second base to retire the side.
Cadence Sanchez took the circle for the Lady Cats in the bottom half of the first and got Tatum Ainsworth to ground out on a soft grounder to Alex Hernandez at first base for out number one. Howell ripped a solo homerun to left field to put the Lady Falcons up, 1-0, but Brylee Adams flew out to Myli Hernandez in right-center field and Jordan flew out to Myli Hernandez in right field to end the inning.
Natalia Sanchez flew out to Riley Gardner in right field to begin the second inning, but Taryn Golden singled up the middle to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Alex Hernandez, though, struck out swinging and Myli Hernandez popped up to Chayney Snelson at first base to retire the side.
In the home-half of the second, Chloe Cochran struck out swinging for out number one and Snelson hit a short fly ball to Natalia Sanchez at second base for out number two. Natalee Berryman singled to shortstop on a high throw to first that was off the glove of Alex Hernandez at second base, putting her on second with two outs.
Kaylee Stephenson ripped an RBIsingle to right-center field to extend their lead to, 2-0, before Cadence Sanchez got Jacey Ornelas to strike out swinging for out number three to end the inning.
In the top of the third,Alyssa Torres struck out looking for out number one, and Kaeleigh Logan flew out to Cochran in left-center field for out number two. Price singled to right field to give the Lady Cats a base runner, but Ray struck out swinging to retire the side.
Bushland’s offense woke up in the bottom of the third, as Ainsworth single to shortstop, on a throwing error to first by Ray, putting Ainsworth on second. Addy Mathews came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Howell followed it up with a homerun to dead center field to push their lead to, 4-0.
Adams doubled over Price in center field, bringing Jada Permenter on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Cadence Sanchez would settle back in, in the circle, as she got Jordan to pop up to Natalia Sanchez behind first base for out number one. Cochran popped up to Natalia Sanchez behind first on the right-field foul line for out number two, as Permenter tagged up at second and advanced to third. But, Snelson lined out to Myli Hernandez in right field for out number three.
Both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Snelson singled on an error by Golden on the left side. Berryman singled off the left-field fence and Stephenson hit into a fielder’s choice to Ray at shortstop, who got the out at third for out number one. The runners advanced on a past ball, before Ornelas hit an RBI-single to center field, moving Stephenson to third, as they stretched the lead to, 5-0.
Ornelas took second on a pitch, before Ainsworth lined out to Myli Hernandez in right field. Stephenson tagged up and scored from third, but Ornelas faked going to third and was caught off the base by Ray for the double play to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Cadence Sanchez and Natalia Sanchez struck out swinging for the first two outs of the inning and Golden chopped out to Jordan at second base, who flipped it to first for the final out to end the game.
Cadence Sanchez pitched a complete game, giving up six runs, while earning two strike outs.
Game two was Friday afternoon with game three to follow if necessary. Results were not available at press time.