The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team took game one of their three-game play-off series with the Stanton Buffaloes on Friday in dominating fashion, winning the contest, 19-1, in Lamesa.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 13-11 overall on the year.
Major McNeese doubled to leftcenter field to lead things off in the top of the first for the Wildcats and Ian Mendez hit a sacrifice to first, Bret Davis was there to cover the bag for the out, as McNeese advanced to third on the play. Isaiah Rodriguez hit an RBIsingle up the middle to make the score, 1-0, and Brenden Bowman followed it up with an RBI-double off the left-center field fence to extend the lead to, 2-0, as Sam Hill came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Chip Green and Markus Rosales were both hit by a pitch to load the bases for Littlefield, and Hill scored on a past ball as the runners advanced to second and third to make the score, 3-0. Elijah Salazar hit a sacrifice grounder to shortstop and was thrown out at first, as Rodriguez scored and Rosales advanced to third, making the score, 4-0, with two outs.
Adam MacDonald was hit by a pitch, but Ja’Den Williams struck out swinging to retire the side.
Mendez and the Wildcat defense made quick work of the Buffaloes in the home half of the inning, as Adam Booth popped up to Green at third for out number one. Aidan Galaviz struck out looking for out number two and Bret Davis flew out to McNeese in center field to end the inning.
In the top of the second, McNeese flew out to left field for out number one, but Mendez and Rodriguez drew back-to-back walks to put two runners on for the Wildcats. The runners advanced to second and third on a short past ball and Bowman followed it up with a two-RBI single up the middle to make the score, 6-0, as Hill came on as the courtesy runner.
Green drew a walk and Rosales laid a bunt down on the third base side that was fielded by the pitcher, but he had no play at third, loading the bases for Littlefield. Salazar struck out swinging for out number two, but MacDonald hit a chopper up the middle, that was fielded by the shortstop, but he had no play at first, as a run scored to stretch the lead to, 7-0.
Williams was hit by a pitch to bring in a run and McNeese had a three-RBI double fall behind the right fielder to push their lead to, 11-0. McNeese took third on a past ball and Mendez knocked him in with an RBI single to left field to make the score, 12-0, as Gavrin Moore relieved Davis on the mound for Stanton. Mendez was picked off at second by Booth to retire the side.
In the bottom of the second inning, Jaedyn Martinez singled to right field to lead things off for Stanton, but Mendez got Laudin McDaniel to strike out looking for out number one. Stanton executed a hit-and-run to perfection, as Gage McCall slapped a grounder through the left side and Juan Rojas drew a walk to load the bases for the Buffaloes.
Hancock hit an RBI-single down the third-base line to trim the lead to, 12-1, but Aiden Armendarez flew out to Gabe Montalvo in left field and he threw to second for the double play to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Rodriguez singled through the left side and took second on a past ball, before Bowman hit a sacrifice up the middle that was fielded by the second baseman and thrown to first for the out, as Rodriguez advanced to third on the play. Green knocked an RBI single up the middle to extend their lead to, 131, and Rosales followed it up with RBI-double down the right-field line to push the lead to, 14-1.
Salazar singled to shallow rightcenter field moving Rosales to third and MacDonald roped a two-RBI double to the left-field fence, extending their lead to, 16-1. MacDonald was picked off at third by Booth for out number two, but Williams drew a walk to give the Wildcats a base runner. McNeese, though, would strike out swinging for out number three.
Mendez got the Buffaloes to go three-up-and-three down in the home-half of the third, as Booth chopped out to Green at third and Galaviz and Davis both grounded out to Salazar at second base to end the inning.
Mendez flew out to left-center field to begin the fourth inning, but Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and Bowman singled through the left side to put two runners on for Littlefield. Green ripped an RBIdouble to the left-field fence and Rosales followed it up with a two-RBI single up the middle to push their lead to, 19-1, before Salazar struck out swinging and MacDonald popped up to shortstop in shallow left field to retire the side.
Rodriguez relieved Mendez on the mound in the bottom of the fourth and pitched the final two innings, keeping the Buffaloes off the board, as Littlefield took the contest, 19-1, to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Mendez started on the mound for the Wildcats pitching three innings, giving up one run and one walk, while earning two strike outs. Rodriguez closed out the final two innings, giving up two walks, while earning one punch out.