The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday with a, 9-3, victory over the Tulia Hornets at Wildcat Field.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-3 overall on the season.
Brayden Franco hit a chopper to senior, Ethan Hackler, at third base, who threw across the diamond to first for the out to begin the first inning, but Jordan Powell drew a walk to give the Hornets a base runner. Powell took second on a past ball, before senior, Chris Brown, gotAldo Marin to strikeout looking for out number two.
Axel Villa hit an RBI single through the left side to put the Hornets up, 1-0, and Juan Molina drew a walk to put runners on first and second for Tulia. But, Brown would get Zadrian Chavez to strike out looking to retire the side.
Junior, Davin Saldana, grounded out to Chavez at shortstop to begin the bottom half of the inning, but senior, Blake Green, doubled over Kathan Valenzuela in left field to give the Wildcats a base runner. Hackler flew out to Powell in shallow center field for out number two, but Brown ripped an RBI-double through the left side, taking second on the throw home from Valenzuela, tying the game, 1-1.
Senior, Gus McNabb, was hit by a pitch, but junior, Jordan Trevino, grounded out to third to end the inning.
Brown made quick work of the Hornets in the top of the second inning, as he got Adrian Brookins, Equban Basaldua and Valenzuela all to strike out swinging to retire the side.
Junior, Ethan Garcia, singled over Marin at second base, but senior, Turner Heffmgton hit into a fielder’s choice to Molina at third base, who got Garcia at second for the force out. Senior, PJ Cruz, struck out swinginig for out number two, but Saldana ripped an RBI-double into left-center field to score Heffington from first to put the Wildcats up, 2-1.
Green followed it up with an RBIdouble to left field, making the score, 3-1. Hackler kept the rally going with a shot to shortstop that was bobbled by Chavez for an RBI-single, extending the lead to, 4-1. Brown grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.
Garcia relieved Brown on the mound to begin the third inning and he gave up a lead-off walk to Franco, but he got Powell and Marin to strike out swinging for two quick outs. With a runner on second, Villa knocked an RBIsingle up the middle to cut the lead to, 4-2, for the Hornets. Molina singled to right field and Chavez singled through the right side, but Garcia got Brookins to strike out looking to retire the side.
McNabb singled over shortstop to begin the bottom half of the third inning and Trevino singled under the glove of Marin at second base and took second on an error by Brookins in right field. Garcia drew a walk to load the bases and Heffington blasted a three-RBI triple to left-center field to clear the bases, making the score, 7-2.
Cruz followed it up with an RBIsingle down the third-base line to push their lead out to, 8-2. Saldana hit a chopper to Chavez at shortstop, who went the short way to second to get Cruz for the force out. Senior, Joseph Salinas, came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Green hit a grounder to Molina at third base, who got the force at second for out number two and Hackler lined out to Valenzuela in left field to end the inning.
Basaldua singled through the right side to open the fourth inning, but Garcia got Valenzuela to strike out lookin for out number one. Franco drew a walk and Powell hit a sacrifice grounder to Green, who got the out at first for out number two, as the runners advanced 90 feet. The runners would be stranded, as Garcia got Ethan Reyes to strike out swinging to retire the side.
Brown doubled down the third-base line to start the bottom of the fourth inning, but he was pickedoff by Franco tryin to steal third for out number one. McNabb singled on an error by Chavez at shortstop and Trevino singled through the left side, before Garcia knocked an RBI-single into center field to make the score, 9-2, with runners on first and second.
Heffmgton lined out to Reyes at second for out number two and Cruz flew out to Valenzuela in left field to end the inning.
Green took the mound to begin the fifth inning and got Villa to ground out to Brown at shortstop for out number one. Molina was hit by a pitch, but Chavez hit a shot to the left side that was stopped on a dive by Brown, who threw to first for out number two. Green got Brookins to strike out swinging to retire the side.
Molina relieved Basaldua on the mound for Tulia, as he got the the Wildcats to go down in order in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Basaldua singled over second base to lead off the top of the sixth inning for Tulia, but Xavier Rodriguez popped up to Saldana behind the plate for out number one. Franco singled past Carillo at first base, but Powell hit a grounder to senior, Jeremiah Salazar, at second base, who bobbled it, but got the short out at second for out number two. Powell was picked off by Saldana trying to steal second to retire the side.
Tulia would add one run in the top of the seventh, but the Wildcats would go on to defeat the Hornets, 9-3.
Brown started the game on the mound for the Wildcats, pitching two innings, giving up two walks and one run, while earning five strikeouts. Garcia came on in relief duty to pitch two innings. He earned five strikeouts, while giving up two walks and one run.
Green pitched 2.2 innings, earning two punch outs, while giving up one walk and one run and Carillo pitched 0.1 innings to close out the contest.
The Wildcats hosted River Road on Thursday at part of the Line Drive Classic.