The Littlefield Lady Cats High School softball team defeated the Littlefield 14u State Champion team on Thursday, 9-0, to win their tournament-opener at Lady Cat Field.
Brinley Acevedo was hit by a pitch to give the 14u team a base runner to open the first inning. Acevedo took second on a dropped pitch, before Haley Frausto struck out swinging for out number one. L4 hit into a fielder’s choice to Cadence Sanchez in the circle, who got Acevedo out at home trying to score for out number two.
Sanchez got Mylie Hernandez to strike out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the first inning, Julie Rodriguez singled to center field and Sanchez was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second for the Lady Cats. Natalia Sanchez drew a walk to load the bases and Alex Hernandez hit an RBI-single to Frausto at shortstop, who threw to first, but Acevedo was off the bag, as two more runs scored to put the Lady Cats up, 3-0.
Kaeleigh Logan struck out swinging for out number one, as Hernandez took third on a wild pitch. Vivika Ballejo drew a walk to put runners on the corners, but Taryn Golden struck out swinging for out number two. Hernandez scored on a past ball to make the score, 4-0, before Briann McKinnerney struck out swinging to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Cadence Sanchez went back to work in the circle, as she got Deniah Rivas to strike out looking and got Lyric Rios-Martinez to strike out swinging for out number two. Tailyn Gomez grounded out to Cadence Sanchez in the circle to retire the side.
Abigail Ybarbo was hit by a pitch to lead off the home half of the second inning, and she went first to third on a past ball, before Rodriguez singled on a fielder’s choice by Rios-Martinez in the circle, putting runners on the corners for the Lady Cats.
Cadence Sanchez drew a walk to load the bases, but Ybarbo got into a rundown between third and home and was tagged out by Rios-Martinez for out number one, as the other runners advanced to second and third on the play. Natalia Sanchez hit an RBI grounder to third and was thrown out at first for out number two, as Cadence Sanchez advanced to third on the play with the Lady Cats leading, 5-0. Sanchez scored on a past ball to make the score, 6-0, before Hernandez tripled down the third-base line.
Logan hit an RBI-single up the middle to extend their lead to, 7-0, but Ballejo grounded out to Frausto at shortstop to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Sanchez got Audree McKinnon to strike out swinging for out number one and Kenlyee grounded out to Hernandez at third for out number two and Natalie struck out looking to retire the side.
Taryn Golden singled on an error by Deniah Rivas at third base to give the Lady Cats a base runner and she took second on a pitch, before McKinnerney struck out looking for out number one. Ybarbo drew a walk to put runners on first and second and they advanced on a pitch to Rodriguez before she hit a two-RBI single through the left side to stretch their lead to, 9-0.
Gabby drew a walk, as Acevedo relieved Rios-Martinez in the circle for the 14u squad. Bri Castillo struck out swinging, but the other runners advanced 90 feet on the past ball. Rodriguez was caught in a rundown between third and home and was tagged out for out number three to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Acevedo hit a one-hopper to Cadence Sanchez in the circle and was thrown out at first for out number one. Frausto singled on a throwing error to first by the Lady Cat’s third baseman, but Alyssa Torres hit a grounder to third and was thrown out at first for out number two. Frausto took third on the play, but Hernandez struck out swinging to end the game, as the Lady Cats took the contest, 9-0, to move into the winners bracket.