The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team walked off with a run- rule victory on Monday over Idalou, 19- 4, in their second meeting of the season.
With the win, the Lady Cats improved to 14- 6 overall, 6- 3 in district play.
In the top of the first inning, Cali Saldana got the lead- off batter to pop up a bunt to her in the circle for out number one. Megan Hall singled to right field, but Saldana got Felicity Urrutia to strike out swinging for out number two. Alicia Negrete would ground out to Abby Rodriguez at shortstop to retire the side.
Bryndle Ray drew a lead-off walk in the home- half of the first inning and Alyssa Torres singled over third base. Bri Aleman laid a bunt down on the first- base line and the throw to first was bobbled by Negrete, as Ray scored and Torres advanced to third making the score, 1-0, with runners on the corners.
Natalia Sanchez drew a walk to load the bases, but Maggie McNeese flew out to center field for out number one. Torres scored on a passed ball, as the runners advanced to second and third with the score, 2- 0. Abby Rodriguez would draw a walk to reload the bases, but Aleman was tagged out on a back- pick to third by the catcher for out number two.
Saldana would blast an RBIdouble off of the top of the leftfield fence to make the score, 3- 0, and Hannah Lopez hit an RBI-single to third, as Saldana scored to make the score, 5- 0. Lopez would end up on third on the play, after a throwing error to first. Hernandez knocked an RBI- single up the middle to push the lead to, 60, and she took second on a pitch, before Ray drew a walk putting runners on first and second. Torres, though, would line out to left field to end the inning.
Karley Winegeart popped up to Aleman behind third base for out number one to begin the second inning, but Abigail Follis singled up the middle and Paytyn Stapp singled through the right side to load the bases for Idalou. Aaliyah Garcia singled to center field to drive in a run, trimming the lead to, 6- 1. Idalou would knock a three- RBI triple past Torres in left field to cut the lead to, 6- 4.
However, Saldana would get Hall to ground out to her in the circle, holding the runner at third with two outs, and she got Urrutia to ground out to Rodriguez at shortstop to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second inning, Urrutia relieved Mylee Estrada in the circle for Idalou, as Aleman and Sanchez drew back- to- back walks for Littlefield. McNeese hit a sacrifice chopper to first base to move the runners up and Rodriguez hit a sacrifice grounder to third, as Idalou got the out at first, as Aleman scored and Sanchez took third with two outs and the score stretched to, 7- 4.
Saldana would fly out to deep center field to end the inning.
Littlefield got Idalou to go three- up- and- three- down in the top of the third inning, and in the bottom half of the inning, Lopez grounded out to Estrada at second base for out number one. Hernandez struck out swinging for out number two, but Ray singled to left field on a dropped ball and Torres singled to third on a fielder’s choice, but the throw to second was dropped, allowing Ray to take third on the play putting runners on the corners for Littlefield.
Aleman drove a two- RBI double past the left fielder to push their lead to, 9- 4, and Sanchez cleared the bases with a two- run homerun over the scoreboard in left- center field to make the score, 11- 4. McNeese would fly out to Hayden Srader in left field to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, Idalou was able to get some runners on, but none of the threats came to pass, taking the game into the bottom half of the fourth inning.
Rodriguez drew a lead- off walk and Saldana reached second on a dropped ball in left field, putting two runners in scoring position for Littlefield. Lopez hit a high pop up to the right side that fell between first and second for an RBI, making the score, 12- 4, with runners on the corners.
Saldana got into a rundown between third and home, before scoring on the play to make the score, 13- 4, with a runner on third. Hernandez drew a walk and Ray was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Littlefield. Lopez scored on a passed ball and Torres ripped a two- RBI double over third base to push the lead to, 16- 4.
Aleman popped up to Urrutia in the circle for out number one, but Sanchez, again cleared the bases with a two run blast over the left-field fence extending the lead to, 184. McNeese drew a walk and took second on a wild pitch, before McCanick struck out swinging for out number two. Saldana would rip an RBIdouble off of the left- field fence to walk- it off, as the Lady Cats defeated Idalou, 194.
Saldana pitched 3.2 innings for the Lady Cats giving up six hits, one walk and four runs, while striking out one batter.