The Littlefield Wildcats dropped their districtopener to Idalou on Tuesday, 7-0, at Wildcat Field in Littlefield.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 0-1 in district play.
Blayton Soliz pitched four innings for the Wildcats, giving up three hits, four walks and four runs, two earned, while earning four strikeouts. Gabe Mata pitched three innings, giving up four hits, two walks and three runs, two earned.
Cooper Wilson got Idalou going in the top of the first inning with a single up the middle on a throwing error by Kyzer Billingsley. Wilson would steal second on a throw- down to first by Jayden Kirkland and took third on the same play on some heads-up base running to get into scoring position, before Cannon Calvert struck out swinging for out number one.
Joaquin Rocha drew a walk and Colt Candy was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Idalou, before Bryson Estes singled on errors to bring in a run, but Gandy got into a rundown between second and third, before Rocha was thrown out at the plate for out number two. Thomas Pirtle drew a walk to load the bases for Idalou, as Brooks Bozeman came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher, but Brannon Harmon popped up to Dawson Adkins behind second base to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first inning, Mata chopped out to Wilson at shortstop for out number one, but Soliz reached base safely on a dropped third strike that got by the catcher. Adkins struck out swinging for out number two and Cayson Villareal chopped out to Rocha at second base to end the inning.
Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings, until the top of the fourth, when Idalou came back up to bat. Pirtle popped up to Kirkland behind the plate for out number one, but Harmon singled on an error by Billingsley at shortstop to give Idalou a base runner. Zayden Camargo drew a walk and Cal Harder singled to center field to load the bases for Idalou.
Jaxen McCauley flew out to Ana Ayala in left-center field for out number two, but Calvert was hit by a pitch to bring in a run, making the score, 2-0. Soliz would get out of the bases loaded jam, as he got Rocha to strike out looking to retire the side.
Littlefield’s offensive struggles continued into the bottom of the fourth inning, as CJ Weaver struck out swinging for out number one. Craig Jennings drew a walk to give the Wildcats a base runner and Kirkland singled through the right side, but Jennings was thrown out trying for third, landing Kirkland on second with two outs.
Kirkland would get picked off at third by the catcher to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Gandy drew a lead- off walk and Estes ripped an RBI-triple to right-center field to extend the Idalou lead to, 3-0, as Mata relieved Soliz on the mound for Littlefield.
Pirtle hit a chopper to Soliz at third, who hesitated, before going home to try and cut the run, but the throw was late, making the score, 4-0. Harmon flew out to Ayala in center field for out number one, but Camargo singled to center field, putting runners on the corners for Idalou and with the infield in, Harder dropped a blooper over Adkins at second base to drive in a run and make the score, 5-0.
Camargo scored on a passed ball, as Harder advanced to second on the play, making the score, 6-0. Wilson lined out to Ayala in center field for out number two, and Calvert chopped out to Billingsley up the middle to retire the side.
Idalou would add a run in the top of the seventh to make the score, 7-0, before getting Littlefield to go three-up-and-three-down in the bottom half of the inning, as Littlefield dropped the district-opener at home.
The Wildcats were at Muleshoe on Saturday to take on the Muleshoe Mules. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season next Saturday with a home game against Friona. First pitch is scheduled for noon.