The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team won their regular season finale at home on Saturday night against the Muleshoe Lady Mules, 3-1.
With the win, the Lady Cats close out district play with a record of 6-4 and will enter the play-offs as the third seed from District 3-3A.
Littlefield junior pitcher, Brookelyn Gau, got the Lady Mules to go down in order in the top of the first inning and in the bottom half of the side, Mykenzie Price was hit by a pitch to give Littlefield a base runner. Clarissa Rejino got senior, Geyah Garza, to strike out swinging for out number one, but Cadence Sanchez drew a walk to make it two runners on for the Lady Cats.
Price stole third and scored on a past ball to make it, 1-0, but Brookelyn Gau hit a grounder to Rejino in the circle, who got the out at first and then Makayla Kirven fired home to get Sanchez, who was trying to score on the play to end the inning.
Rejino singled on a slow roller to Julie Rodriguez at second base to open the second inning, but Kylie Hernandez grounded out to Sanchez for the first out of the inning. Brookelyn Gau got Jazzy Sanchez to go down swinging and Araceli Hernandez to go down looking to retire the side, as the Lady Mules stranded a runner on base.
Rejino made quick work of the Lady Cats in the bottom half of the second, as she got Madison McNeese and Malorie Garcia to strike out swinging and Katelyn Gau to strike out looking to end the inning.
The Lady Mules offensive struggles continued into the third inning, as Karely Vasquez, Amri Melton and Alexa Estrada all went down swinging to retire the side.
Rodriguez drew a lead off walk for the Lady Cats in the bottom of the third inning and took second on a pitch and third on a past ball, before Kaeleigh Logan struck out swinging for out number one. Price popped up to Jazzy Sanchez at third base, but she collided with another Lady mule defender allowing Rodriguez to score from third to stretch the Littlefield lead to, 2-0.
Garza grounded out to Rejino in the circle to end the inning.
The Lady Mules went down in the top of the fourth inning, and in the bottom half of the inning, the Lady Cats found some more offense. After Sanchez grounded out to Ruvalcaba at second base and Brookelyn Gau grounded out to Rejino in the circle, McNeese double off of Jazzy Sancehz, as the ball rolled to the away dugout to give the Lady Cats a runner.
Garcia knocked an RBIsingle through the right side to make the score, 3-0, before Katelyn Gau grounded out to Ruvalcaba at second base to end the inning.
Both teams went scored until the top of the sixth when Melton led off with a single to right field for Muleshoe. Estrada struck out swinging for out number one, but Brianna Ruvalcaba hit a shot to right field that was missed by McNeese for an RBIdouble, as the Lady Mules cut the lead to, 3-1.
Brookelyn gau got Kirven and Rejino to strike out swinging to retire the side.
Rejino kept the Lady Cats quiet in the bottom half of the sixth, bringing the Lady Mules offense to the plate with one last chance to get back in the game. Kylie Hernandez drew a lead-off walk and took second on a past ball, before Jazzy Sanchez struck out swinging for out number one.
Kylie Hernandez swiped third on a past ball, but Araceli Hernandez struck out swinging for out number two and Vasquez grounded out to Rodriguez at second base to end the game.
Brookelyn Gau pitched a complete game, giving up just one walk and one run, while earning 14 strikeouts.
The Lady Cats will begin their play-off run against Kermit in the Bi-district round of the play-offs. Time, place and date are TBA.