The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team came up short on Saturday, as they fell to River Road, 8-7, in their final tournament game of the weekend at Wildcat Field in Littlefield.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to, 1-3 in tournament play on the weekend.
Clell Caldwell ripped a lead-off double to left-center field to start the game for River Road, but Major McNeese got Alex Warren to chop out to Isaiah Rodriguez at second base for out number one. Drake Kilman hit a sacrifice grounder to Ian Mendez at shortstop, who got the out at first, as Caldwell advanced to third with two outs. Mason Henderson grounded out to Mendez at shortstop to retire the side.
McNeese ripped a stand-up triple to the center-field fence to lead things off for the Wildcats. Mendez popped up to Warren at third base for out number one, but Rodriguez knocked an RBI-double through the right side to score McNeese, putting the Wildcats in front, 1- 0. Brenden Bowman singled to center field to put runners on the corners for Littlefield.
Sam Hill the courtesy runner took second on a pitch, but Rodriguez was tagged out in a rundown on the fake throw down to second, for out number two. Hill was tagged out at third in a rundown on the next play to end the inning.
McNeese made quick work of River Road in the top of the second inning, as he got three batters to strike out swinging to retire the side. Littlefield was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the second inning.
Both teams went scoreless through the third inning, but in the top of the fourth inning Logan Patton doubled over first base to lead off for River Road and Henderson singled to right field, putting runners on the corners. Henderson took second on a pitch, before Keaton Cockrum hit a two-RBI single to center field. The throw home from Gabe Montalvo was cut- off by McNeese on the mound and Cockrum was thrown out at second for out number one, as River Road took the lead, 2-1.
Brandon Velarde grounded out to Chip Green at third for out number two, and Seth Underwood lined out to Green at third to retire the side.
Rodriguez popped up to Velarde behind first base for out number one in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Bowman singled to second base on an error by Velarde; Hill came on as the courtesy runner. Hill took second on a bad pick-off to first by Samuel Delgado and he took third on a past ball, before Green struck out swinging for out number two.
Rosales roped an RBI-double off the right-field fence to tie the game, 2-2, but Javen Jimenez hit into a fielder’s choice, as Rosales ran into a tag at third base to end the inning.
McNeese got River Road to go three-up-and-three-down in the top of the fifth and in the bottom half of the fifth, Montalvo grounded out to Velarde at second base for out number one and Elijah Salazar flew out to Underwood in center field for out number two. McNeese drew a walk to give Littlefield a base runner and took second on a pitch, before Mendez hit an RBI-single to center field; he was able to take second on the throw home, as Littlefield regained the lead, 3-2.
Rodriguez, though, popped up to Velarde at second base to end the inning.
River Road broke things open in the top of the sixth inning with a six-run outing to take an, 8-3, lead into the bottom half of the sixth inning.
Littlefield trailed River Road, 83, going into the bottom of the seventh, but Salazar singled up the middle and McNeese followed it up with a single through the right side, before Mendez singled to shortstop to load the bases. Rodriguez roped a three-RBI double to the left-center field gap to cut the lead to, 8-6.
Bowman singled through the left side, as Hill came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher and Green hit an RBI-single to right field on an error by Velarde, making the score, 8-7. Rosales chopped out to Cockrum at first base and Jimenz lined out to second base and Green was doubled up at second base to end the game.
McNeese pitched 5.2 innings for the Wildcats, giving up eight runs and one walk, while earning six strike outs. Rosales pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one walk.