The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team came up short against the Shallowater Fillies on Monday, 14-2, at Lady Cat Field in Littlefield.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 9-4 overall, 1-1 in district play.
In the top of the first inning, Brinley Currington hit a shot at Bri Aleman, who knocked it down and got the out at first for out number one. Skylar Stephenson hit a chopper to Aleman at third, who again got the out at first for out number two. Jaiden Luna hit a shot off of Natalia Sanchez in the circle for a single, but Phoenix Navejar hit a fly ball to right field that fell in for a hit, but Myli Hernandez was able to play it and get the force out at second to retire the side.
The Lady Cats struggled offensively early on, as Bryndle Ray led off the home-half of the first with a shot to right field for out number one. Alyssa Torres struck out looking for out number two and Aleman struck out swinging to end the inning.
Sanchez got two quick outs in the top of the second inning, as she got Kambreigh Baker and Taylor Jarrett to strike out swinging. Gracie Banks singled on an error by Aleman at third base and Kaylee Olivo followed it up with a double up the middle. Kassidy Dutra drove in a run with a single up the middle to make the score, 1-0, with runners on the corners for Shallowater, but Currington hit into a fielder’s choice to Brinley Acevedo at second base, who flipped it to Ray at second for the force out to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second, Sanchez led off with a soft line out to Olivo at second base for out number one, but Maggie McNeese singled over third base to give the Lady Cats a base runner. She would be stranded on base, as Hernandez struck out swinging and Cali Saldana popped up to Banks in front of the circle to end the inning.
The score remained, 1-0, until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Lady Cats came to bat. Torres lined out to Luna in center field for out number one and Aleman struck out looking for out number two, but Sanchez knotted the game with a solo homerun to right field, making the score, 1-1. The Lady Cats couldn’t capitalize on the momentum, as McNeese grounded out to Olivo at second base to end the inning.
The Lady Cat defense would gain a quick out to begin the fifth inning, as Dutra was thrown out at first by Hannah Lopez on a dropped third strike, but Currington singled on an error by Acevedo at second base to give the Fillies a base runner. Stephenson laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Sanchez, who got the out at first base, as Currington advanced to second with two outs.
Luna knocked an RBI-single up the middle to regain the lead for Shallowater, and Navejar had an RBI-double fall on the rightfield line after a diving attempt by Hernandez, making the score, 3-1. Baker cleared the bases with a two- run homerun to center field to make the score, 5-1, before Jarrett grounded out to Ray at shortstop to retire the side.
Hernandez led off the bottom of the fifth for Littlefield with a double off of the left-field fence, but again the Lady Cats couldn’t capitalize with a runner in scoring position, as Saldana and Lopez struck out looking and Acevedo grounded out to Navejar at first base to end the inning.
Shallowater would add three runs in the top of the sixth to take an, 8-1, lead and in the bottom half of the inning, Torres would hit a solo homerun to center field to trim the lead to, 8-2. But in the seventh, Shallowater would outscore the Lady Cats, 6-0, as the Lady Cats ended up falling to the Fillies, 14-2, in district play.
Sanchez pitched six innings for the Lady Cats giving up nine hits, two walks and eight runs, two earned, while striking out five batters. Saldana came on in relief and pitched one inning, giving up six hits, one walk and six runs, two earned.
The Lady Cats were at Idalou to take on the Lady Cats on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Saturday, at home vs Muleshoe.
First pitch is scheduled for noon.