The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team couldn’t get the offense going in game one of their three-game Area Play-off series on Thursday in Plainview, as they dropped the contest, 10-0.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 14-13-1 overall on the season.
The Wildcats couldn’t get the offense going in the top of the first inning, as they went down in order. In the bottom half of the first, Bushland came to the plate, but senior pitcher, Ethan Garcia, made quick work of the Falcons, as he got Kade Gavina to fly out to Chip Green in right field for out number one. Straton Malloy flew out to Major McNeese in center field for out number two and Josh Bass grounded out to Jordan Trevino at shortstop to end the inning.
Nick Caballero struck out swinging to begin the top of the second inning for Littlefield. Green chopped out to Gavina at shortstop for out number two and Garcia flew out to center field on a diving catch by Fetch Jaxon to retire the side.
In the home-half of the second inning, Garcia couldn’t find the groove he had in the first inning as he walked the bases loaded. He got Clayton Fisher to strike out swinging for out number one, before Cannon Melban scored on a wild pitch to make the score, 1-0. Eli Williams drew a walk to reload the bases, as Max Rodriguez came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Ian Mendez came on in relief of Garcia on the mound, before Tyler Nebhut hit a three-RBI single to center field; he took third on the throw home by Garcia that got past Brenden Bowman at the plate, making the score, 4-0. Nebhut would score on a past ball to extend the Bushland lead to, 5-0, before Gavina hit a triple off of the wall in left field. Mendez would recover, as he got Malloy to strike out swinging for out number two and got Bass to fly out to McNeese in left field to end the inning.
Isaiah Rodriguez struck out swinging to begin the third inning for the Wildcats, but Bowman drew a walk, bringing Sam Hill on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Mendez popped up to Dawson Jaco at second base for out number two, but Trevino singled past first base, moving Hill over to third to put runners on the corners with two outs. However, they would be stranded on base, as McNeese chopped out to Bass on the mound to retire the side.
Melban was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the third and Westin Forbes hit a grounder that was gloved by Green at third, who was looking to turn a double play, but no one covered second, so his only play was to first. A low throw to first got by Caballero, however, the Wildcats were able to get the out at third, as Caballero fired across the diamond to Green for the tag, as Forbes advanced to second on the play.
Jaco hit an RBI-triple that was just missed in the air by Garcia in rightcenter field, making the score, 6-0. Fisher followed it up with an RBIdouble on an error by Trevino at shortstop, pushing their lead to, 7-0. Fisher stole third on a past ball and Williams drew a walk, bringing Max Rodriguez on as the courtesy runner for Bushland. Max Rodriguez took second on a fake throw down to second that was cut off by Trevino and Nebhut ripped a two-RBI double over third base to stretch the lead to, 9-0, as Mendez was relieved on the mound by Isaiah Rodriguez.
Gavina grounded out to Trevino at shortstop, but Malloy drew a walk to give the Falcons a base runner. Bass grounded out to Green at second base to end the inning.
The Wildcats went three up and threw down in the top of the fourth, and in the bottom half of the side, Isaiah Rodriguez grounded out to Trevino up the middle for out number one. Forbes drew a walk and tried to steal second on a pitch, but he was picked off by Bowman, Trevino was there for the tag for out number two.
Jaco struck out swinging, but made it to first on a past ball and Fisher drew a walk to load the bases. However, Williams hit a slow roller past the mound that was fielded by Mendez and thrown to first for the out to end the inning.
Garcia drew a lead-off walk to start the top of the fifth for the Wildcats, as Nebhut relieved Bass on the mound for the Falcons. He would retire the next three batters in order to retire the side. Markus Rosales took the mound in the fifth inning for the Wildcats, as Nebhut and Gavina hit back-to-back singles for the Falcons. Nebhut would score on a past ball to end the game, as the Falcons took down Littlefield, 10-0.
Garcia pitched 1.1 innings for the Wildcats giving up four runs and four walks, while earning one strikeout. Mendez pitched one inning, giving up five runs and two walks, while earning one strikeout. Rodriguez put in 1.2 innings of work giving up three walks, while earning one strike out and Rosales gave up one run.