The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team opened their season on Monday with a, 14-4, run rule victory over the Estacado Lady Matadors at Lady Cat Softball Field.
Sophomore, Cadence Sanchez, opened the game in the circle for the Lady Cats pitching four innings and giving up three runs, while earning four strikeouts. Junior, Brookelyn Gau, closed the game, pitching, one inning giving up one run and one walk, while earning two strikeouts.
Lelia Hernandez led off for the Lady Matadors in the top of the first inning, as she hit a grounder to Malorie Garcia at third, who threw to first for the out. Myranda Martinez singled to left field and Abbie Rodriguez doubled off of the glove of McKenzie Price in Left field, advncing Martinez to third.
Nina Carolina lined out to junior, Katelyn Gau at first for out number two, but Jayce Gutierrez hit a slow roller to Katelyn Gau at first, who bobbled the ball, allowing Carolina to reach base safely and Martinez scored to put Estacado up, 1-0.
Quay Johnson hit an RBI single on an error by senior, Geyah Garza, at shortstop to put the Lady Matadors up, 2-0. Sancehz got Inez Gomez to strikeout swinging to retire the side.
Price hit a grounder to Martinez at shortstop, and a high throw to first pulled Carolina off the bag, giving Littlefield a base runner to begin the bottom half of the inning. Price took second on a pitch to Garza, before Garza roped an RBI single to right field. She took second on the throw home from the outfield, as the Lady Cats cut the lead to, 2-1.
Garza took third on a past ball and scored on a walk by Sanchez, as the ball got by Gomez behind the plate, tying the game, 2-2. Garcia hit a grounder down the first-base line and was tagged out by Rodriguez, as Sanchez advanced to second on the play with one out. Sophomore, Madison McNeese, grounded out to Katsta Reyna, as Sanchez moved over to third with two outs. Tricia Torres singled on an error by Hernandez in center field, as Sanchez scored to put Littlefield out in front, 3-2.
Sophomore, Kaeleigh Logan, singled on a grounder to Reyna at second base, but Katelyn Gau popped up to Carolina at first base to end the inning.
Sanchez got Gabby Morales and Reyna both to strike out swinging to begin the top of the second inning, but Hernandez singled up the middle to give the Lady Matadors a base runner. She took second on a pitch to Martinez, before Martinez popped up to Julie Rodriguez in shallow right field to retire the side.
Julie Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to open the bottom half of the second inning and Price followed it up with a single to shallow left field, before Garza ripped a two-RBI double to left center field to put the Lady Cats up, 5-2. Sanchez singled on an error by Martinez at shortstop and Garcia advanced the runners on a shot back at Abbie Rodriguez in the circle, who got the out at first for out number one.
McNeese popped up to Abbie Rodriguez in the circle for out number two, but Torres hit a shot to Reyna at second base, who threw to first, but the ball was dropped by Carolina at first, as two runs scored, making the score, 7-2. Logan drew a walk, but Katelyn Gau hit a shot to Martinez at shortstop, who went the short way to third for the force out to end the inning.
Abbie Rodriguez double to the left field fence to begin the third inning, but Sanchez got Carolin to pop up to Logan behind the plate for out number one. Abbie Rodriguez took third on a past ball and Gutierrez hit a sacrifice grounder to Garcia at third, who threw to first for the out, but the run scored to trim the Littlefield lead to, 7-3. Johnson hit a slow roller to Julie Rodriguez at second, who flipped it to first for the out to retire the side.
Julie Rodriguez singled on an error by Reyna at second base, but Price hit a grounder to Johnson at third, who threw to first for the first out of the inning. Garza ropped a shot to the right field corner for a two-run inside the park homerun to extend their lead to, 9-3.
Sanchez popped up to Gomez behind the plate and Garcia grounded out to Martinez at shortstop to end the inning.
Sanchez got the Lady Matadors to go three-up-and-three-down in the fourth inning, as Gomez lined out to Katelyn Gau at first base, Morales struck out swinging and Reyna grounded out to Garza at shortstop.
McNeese trippled down the third-base line past Gutierrez in left field and Torres hit a sacrifice grounder to Abbie Rodriguez in the circle, who threw to first for the out, as Littlefield stretched the lead to, 10-3. Logan singled off of the center field fence, as Abby Yabbro came on as the courtesy runner.
Yabbro took third on a pitch to Brookelyn Gau and scored on a high throw to third by Gomez, making the score, 11-3. Brookely Gau singled on an error by Martinez at shortstop and Julie Rodriguez doubled over Carolina at first base, before Price hit an RBI single to third, the throw to first by Johnson was dropped making the score, 12-3.
Price took second on a pitch to Garza, before she hit a two-RBI single on a low throw to first by Johnson, that got by Carolina, making the score, 14-3. Sanchez was hit by a pitch, but Garcia flew out to Hernandez in center field and McNeese hit a short fly to Johnson at third to end the inning.
Brookelyn Gau relieved Sancehz in the circle and Hernandez was hit by a pitch to begin the top of the fifth inning. Hernandez took second on a pitch and third on a past ball before Brookelyn Gau got Martinez to strike out swinging for out number one. Abbie Rodriguez hit an RBI double to right center field and took third on a past ball, before Carolina popped up to Sanchez for out number two.
Brookelyn Gau got Gutierrez to strike out swinging to end the game, 14-4.