The Sudan Nettes’ High School softball team won an elimination game against the Littlefield 14u State Champion team on Thursday afternoon, 9-4, to stay alive in their end of season tournament at Lady Cat Field in Littlefield.
With the win, the Nettes improved to 1-1 in tournament play.
In the top of the first inning, Blessy Montes got Brinley Acevedo out for the first out of the inning, but Haley Frausto drew a walk and took second on a past ball, before Cali Saldana hit a sacrifice grounder to Montes in the circle, who got the out at first, as Frausto advanced to third on the play with two outs. Frausto scored on an error by Edette Herrera behind the plate to make the score, 1-0, but Myli Hernandez grounded out to Liz Sital at third to retire the side.
The Nettes struggled offensively in the bottom half of the side, as Kambry Tolbert grounded out to Lyric Rios-Martinez at first for out number one. Montes grounded out to Acevedo at shortstop for out number two, but Victoria Leal singled over second base to give Sudan a base runner. However, Sital hit a one-hopper to Saldana in the circle, who flipped it to first for the out to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Montes got Deniah Rivas to strike out swinging for out number one, but Alyssa Torres reached base on an infield single to third base to give the 14u squad a runner. Montes got Tailyn Gomez to strike out swinging for out number two, but Rios-Martinez was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second for the 14u team. Audree McKinnon would ground out to Montes in the circle to retire the side.
Angelina Thorn hit a shot back at Saldana in the circle, who got the out at first to begin the bottom half of the second inning. Kinley Coker drew a walk and Jaelyn Cannon hit an infield single to the circle that was bobbled by Saldana putting runners on first and second for Sudan. Hailey Flores laid down a swinging bunt and beat the throw to first by Saldana to load the bases.
Erica Herrera hit a sacrifice grounded to Rios-Martinez at first to tie the game, 1-1, with two outs, but Edette Herrera struck out looking for out number three to end the inning.
Montes made quick work of the Littlefield 14u team in the top of the third as Natalie and Frausto were tagged out on dropped third strikes and Acevedo grounded out to Montes in the circle to retire the side.
In the home half of the third inning, Tolbert grounded out to second for out number one, but Montes singled to center field and took second on a pitch to Leal, before Leal ripped an RBI-triple into rightcenter field to give the Nettes the lead, 2-1. Sital followed it up with an RBI-double to left field to extend their lead to, 3-1.
Thirn hit a shot to Gomez at third base, who got the out at first, as Sital advanced to third on the play with two outs. Coker hit an RBI-single through the left side to make the score, 4-1, but the next batter, Cannon, was called out for throwing the bat to end the inning.
Littlefield 14u broke through in the top of the fourth inning, as Saldana led off with a single over shortstop. She took second on a pitch, before Hernandez hit an RBI-triple on an error to cut the lead to, 4-2. Hernandez scored on a past ball to trim the lead to, 4-3, before Rivas struck out looking for out number one.
Torres grounded out to Montes in the circle and Gomez was tagged out by Edette Herrera on a dropped third strike to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the inning, Flores singled on an error by Acevedo at shortstop and she took second on a pitch, before Erica Herrera hit a grounder to third and made it safely on a high throw to first, as Flores advanced to third on the error. Edette Herrera hit a sacrifice grounder to Gomez at second base, who got the out at first, as Flores scored to make the score, 5-3.
Tolbert followed it up with an RBI-double through the left side to push their lead to, 6-3. She took third on a ball away from the catcher and Montes laid down a swinging bunt and was thrown out at first for out number two. Tolbert was safe on a play at the plate, as the catcher dropped the ball, making the score, 7-3.
Leal hit a grounder to third and was safe at first on a throwing error. Sital hit a slow roller to third and safe at first, and on the next play, a throw down to third rolled into left field, allowing Leal and Sital to score, stretching their lead to, 9-3. Thorn, though, would pop up to the catcher to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Rios-Martinez drew a walk and took second and third on a high throw to second by Edette Herrera. She scored on a past ball to trim the lead to, 9-4, but the Littlefield 14u squad would fall short in their comeback efforts, as they fell to Sudan, 9-4.