The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team saw their season come to an end in the Class 3A Bi-district round of the playoffs on Friday, as they fell to the Kermit Lady Jackets, 2-1, at Semi nole High School.
With the loss, the Lady Cats end the season with a mark of 11-7 overall on the season.
Brookelyn Gau got Marissa Davila to strike out swinging to open the contest and got Natalie Valenzuela to pop up on the third base line for two quick outs. But, Stephanie Sparks hit a fly ball to right field that was missed by Madison McNeese, who was running up on it, as the ball rolled all the way into the right field corner for an inside of the park homerun to put the Lady Jackets up, 1-0.
Brookelyn Gau would bounce back from the hit, as she got Adriana Vazquez to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The Lady Cats struggled to find their offense early in the contest as Mykenzie Price, Geyah Garza and Cadence Sanchez all went down swinging to end the first inning.
Brookelyn Gau gave up a leadoff walk to Jessica Lara to begin the second inning, but she got Zebbie Galindo and Monika Leyva to strike out swinging for two quick outs. Analiza Rayos hit a chopper over Brookelyn Gau in the circle, but the ball was fielded by Garza, who flipped it to Julie Rodriguez on second for the force out to retire the side.
In the bottom of the second inning, Brookelyn Gau hit a grounder to Salais at second base, who got the out at first, but McNeese followed it up with a triple off of the glove of Vazquez in center field to give the Lady Cats their first base runner of the game. She would be stranded on third though, as Malorie Garcia struck out swinging and Julie Rodriguez struck out looking to end the inning.
Brookelyn Gau wasted no time getting to work in the top of the third inning, as she got Coronado and Davila to strike out swinging for two outs. Valenzuela singled to left field, as Russell came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Sparks and Vazquez drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, but Russell tried to score on a past ball, but Kaeleigh Logan got a good bounce off of the backstop, as she flipped the ball to Brookelyn Gau covering the plate for the out to retire the side.
Tricia Torres drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the third inning, but Logan struck out swinging for out number one. Price struck out swinging for out number two, as Torres broke for second on the pitch, but she was picked off at second by Sparks to end the inning.
Kermit drew a lead-off walk, as Lara reached first to give the Lady Jackets a base runner in the top of the fourth inning, but Brookelyn Gau would recover, as she got Galindo to strike out swinging, as Lara took second on the pitch. Leyva popped up to Rodriguez in shallow right field, but Lara was able to tag-up and take third on the play with two outs.
Rayos hit an RBI-single up the middle to put the Lady Jackets up, 2-0, before Coronado struck out looking to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the side, Garza struck out swinging and Sanchez popped up to Sparks behind the plate on a bunt attempt for out number two. However, Brookelyn Gau picked them up with a shot to right field off of the glove of Davila for an inside of the park homerun to cut the lead in half, 2-1. McNeese grounded out to Salais at second to end the inning.
Both teams would be kept quiet until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Lady Cats came to the plate with one last chance to keep their season alive.
Garcia struck out looking for out number one, but Rodriguez and Torres drew back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second for the Lady Cats. But, Logan got a hit up the middle that went off of the pitcher’s glove and was fielded by the shortstop, Galindo, who stepped on second base and fired to first for the game-ending double play.
Brookelyn Gau pitched a complete game for the Lady Cats giving up just four walks and two runs, while earning 11 strikeouts.