The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team dropped game two of their Class 3ADI Bi-district play-off series to Bushland on Saturday, 13-5, at Lady Falcon Softball Field.
McCanick pitched 0.1 innings, giving up two hits, one walk and three earned runs, while striking out one batter. Sophia Mata pitched 5.2 innings giving up 10 hits, six walks and 10 runs, seven earned, while striking out five batters.
In the top of the first inning, Bryndle Ray was hit by a pitch from Charlie Willis. She would take second on a pitch, before Mata hit a sacrifice to Kami Albus at second base, who got the out at first, as Ray advanced to third with one out. Ray scored on a passed ball to put the Lady Cats in front, 1-0, before Isaihla Garza hit a slow roller toAlbus, who got the out at first for out number two.
McCanick singled past Chayney Snelson at shortstop and Maggie McNeese followed it up with a single over third base to give the Lady Cats a pair of base runners. Brianna Aleman unloaded the bases with a three-run homerun to right-center field to push their lead to, 4-0, as Willis was relieved by Brooklyn Briano in the circle for Bushland.
Brianno would get Hannah Lopez to strike out looking to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first, Kylee Jordan led things off for Bushland with a solo homerun to left-center field to trim the lead to, 4-1. Zaylee Wilson drew a walk and took second on a pitch, before Snelson struck out swinging for out number one. Addison Appier cleared the bases with a tworun homerun to right field to cut the lead to, 4-3, as Mata relieved McCanick in the circle for Littlefield.
Hope DeWald popped up to Aleman at third base for out number two and Piper Francis flew out to Ray in center field to end the inning.
Both teams went three-upand- three-down in the second inning, and in the top of the third, Mata flew out to Francis in center field for out number one. Garza struck out swinging for out number two, but McCanick singled up the middle and McNeese singled on a throwing error to first by Snelson to give Littlefield a pair of base runners. Aleman hit into a fielder’s choice to Snelson at shortstop, who got the out at third to retire the side.
In the bottom of the third, Jordan singled through the left side and Wilson doubled on an error by Tailyn Gomez in left field, leaving runners on second and third. Snelson drew a walk to load the bases, and Appier promptly unloaded the bases with a grand slam to rightcenter field, putting Bushland in front, 7-4.
DeWald struck out swinging for out number one, but Francis singled over Garza at shortstop to give Bushland a base runner. Albus popped up to McCanick at second base for out number two and Mattee Rehkopf lined out to McCanick at second base to end the inning.
The Lady Cats couldn’t get the bats going in the top of the fourth, as Lopez flew out to Francis in center field and Abby Rodriguez grounded out to Snelson at shortstop for out number two. Gomez laid down a swinging bunt that was fielded by Briano and thrown to first for the out to retire the side.
Downey lined out to ray in center field to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, but Downey singled through the left side and Jordan drew a walk, before Snelson singled to left field to load the bases. Appier was intentionally walked to bring in a run, making the score, 8-4.
Mata got DeWald to strike out swinging for out number two, but Francis was walked to bring in another run, pushing the lead to, 9-4. Mata would get Rehkopf to fly out to Garza at shortstop to end the inning.
Ray ripped a stand-up double down the left-field line, but Mata lined out to Snelson at shortstop, who tried to double up Ray at second, but the throw got by Albus, allowing Ray to take third with one out. Garza was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, but McCanick hit a chopper to Snelson over second base, who stepped on the bag and threw to first for the double play to retire the side.
Rehkopf singled to right field to lead things off for Bushland in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Downey popped up to McCanick in shallow right field for out number one and Jordan hit a shot to Aleman at third, who got the force out at second for out number two. Wilson hit a shot to left-center field to drive in a run. She took second on the throw in from Ray, making the score, 10-4.
Snelson ripped an RBI double to left field on an error by Gomez, making the score, 11-4.Appier singled to left field and DeWald drew a walk to load the bases for the Lady Falcons. However, Francis lined out to Gomez on a diving catch in left field to end the inning.
McNeese singled to left field to lead off the sixth inning for Littlefield, but Aleman hit into a fielder’s choice to Snelson at shortstop, but McNeese was safe at second, giving them a pair of base runners. Lopez struck out looking for out number one, and Rodriguez was injured during her at bat, bringnumber ing in Janella Rodriguez to finish the at bat. She would strike out looking for out number two.
London Taylor pinch hit for Gomez, but she hit into a fielder’s choice to Snelson at shortstop, who got the force out at third to retire the side.
In the home-half of the sixth, Mata got Albus to pop up to Garza in shallow left field for out number one, but Rehkopf drew a walk to give Bushland a base runner. Downey flew out to Taylor in left field for out number two, but Jordan hit a shot to the fence in left field, that was caught by Taylor, but she dropped it after running into the fence, as a run came into score to make the score, 12-4.
Wilson ripped an RBI-double to left field, but Mata got Snelson to line out to Aleman at third base to end the inning.
The Lady Cats came to the plate in the top of the seventh, looking to make some noise with the bats.
Ray had a pop up fall in shallow center field, but Mata lined out to Albus on the right side for the first out of the inning. Ray took second on a pitch and third on the throw down that rolled into right-center field. Garza hit a sacrifice grounded to Snelson at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Ray scored, making the score, 13-5, with two outs. McCanick grounded out to Appier at third base to end the game.
The Lady Cats ended the season with an overall mark of 15-14.