The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team run-ruled the Hale Center Lady Owls, 12-2, on Monday, on a homerun from Natalia Sanchez.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 2-1 overall on the year.
Sanchez got the lead-off batter, Jocylin Marquez to strike out swinging to begin the game, and Rylei Ramirez flew out to Tailyn Gomez in right field for out number two. Bella Ruiz singled on a diving attempt by Gomez in right field that was dropped, but Alyssa Borunda would hit a liner to first base that was stopped by Maggie McNeese, who stepped on the bag to retire the side.
Bryndle Ray drew a lead-off walk in the home-half of the first for the Lady Cats and she took second on a pitch and third on the throw down that got behind second base, before Alyssa Torres struck out swinging for out number one. Brianna Aleman hit a sacrifice grounder to Borunda at shortstop, who got the out at first as Ray scored to put Littlefield in front, 1-0.
Sanchez drew a walk, as Isiliaha Garza came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher. Amaya McCornick would chop out to Borunda at shortstop to end the inning.
Sofia Gomez singled to rightcenter field to begin the second inning for Hale Center, but she would be stranded, as Miella Anguiano struck out swinging for out number one. Madison Dahl hit into a fielder’s choice on a shot to center field, as Gomez was thrown out at second by Myli Hernandez for out number two. Dahl took second on a ball away from Hannah Lopez behind the plate, but Breylin Rey struck out looking to retire the side.
McNeese singled up the middle to give the Lady Cats a base runner in the bottom of the second inning, and she took second on a past ball, before Lopez drew a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Hernandez laid down a bunt that was fielded by Ruiz at third, but a throwing error to third on the fielder’s choice allowed two runs to score, as Hernandez took third on the play, making the score, 3-0.
Brinley Acevedo was hit by a pitch and she took second on a pitch, before Ray ripped a two-RBI double up the middle, taking third on a bad throw to the plate, as they stretched their lead to, 5-0. Torres struck out looking for out number one, but Ray scored on a past ball to make the score, 6-0, before Aleman was hit by a pitch to give the Lady Cats another base runner.
Borunda relieved Anguiano in the circle for Hale Center, as she walked Sanchez to put runners on first and second for Littlefield. Sanchez was tagged out on a backpick by Marquez for out number two, but McCornick singled on an error by Anguiano at third base and McNeese followed it up with an RBI-single on an error, as Ruiz and Ramirez collided behind second base, making the score, 7-0, with runners on the corners.
McNeese stole second on a pitch and she took third on a past ball, as McCornick scored to push their lead to, 8-0, before Lopez struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Lady Owls couldn’t get anything going in the top of the third, as Avelynn Trevino grounded out to McNeese at first base for out number one. Marquez singled off the glove of Sanchez in the circle, and Ramirez drew a walk, but Ruiz hit a shot to center field that got over Hernandez, but the relay to Ray was fired home to Lopez, who slapped the tag on Marquez, as she then fired it to Aleman at third for the doubleplay to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the inning, Hernandez struck out looking for out number one, before Acevedo was hit by a pitch to give Littlefield a base runner. Ray flew out to Dahl in center field for out number two, but Torres ripped an RBI-double over Dahl in center field to make the score, 9-0, before Aleman grounded out to Anguiano at third to end the inning.
Hale Center would wake the bats up a little bit in the top of the fourth after Borunda grounded out to Ray at shortstop for out number one, Gomez singled on an error by Tailyn Gomez in right field, as a pinch runner came on, and Anguiano followed it up with a two-run homerun to center field to trim the lead to, 9-2.
Dahl singled on an illegal pitch by Sanchez, but Rey laid down a bunt that was fielded by Aleman, who got the out at first, as Dahl advanced to third on the play. Sanchez would get Trevino to ground out to Acevedo at second base to retire the side.
The score remained, 9-2, until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Lopez had a hit fall in shallow left field for a double. Hernandez laid a bunt down the third-base line that was fielded by Anguiano, but she overthrew first base, allowing Lopez to score and Hernandez to advance to second, extending their lead to, 10-2.
Acevedo struck out swinging for out number one, but Ray ripped an RBI-double to right-center field, stretching the lead to, 112. Torres hit a sacrifice grounded to Ruiz at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Ray advanced to third on the play with two outs. Aleman hit a line drive to third that was stopped by Anguiano and thrown to first for the out to end the inning.
The Lady Cats would get the Lady Owls to go three-up-andthree- down in the top of the sixth, and in the home-half of the inning, Sanchez walked it off with a solo homerun to right field, as Littlefield took the contest, 12-2.
Sanchez tossed a complete game for the Lady Cats giving up four hits, one walk and two runs, one earned, while earning four strikeouts.
The Lady Cats will be at Childress on Thursday as their season continues.
First-pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.