The Wildcats lost a tough contest on the road on Monday to open the season, as they fell to Abernathy, 10-9.
With the loss, they fall to 1-0 overall to begin the season.
The Wildcats went scoreless in the top half of the first inning and in the bottom half of the side, Starting pitcher Ethan Garcia got Jaxson Hoel to strike out looking for out number one, but Jess Hoel got a pitch up in the air, as it carried out of the ballpark for an opposite field homerun to put the Antelopes up, 1-0.
Garcia bounced back, as he got Levi Carrillo to strike out swinging for out number two, but with two outs, Tanner Timms hit a shot to right-center field that carried out of the ball park for a solo homerun to put the Antelopes up, 2-0. Brayden Vanstory was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike by Brendon Bowman to retire the side.
The Wildcats were unable to get anything going in the top of the second inning, and in the bottom half of the side, Jaxson Wiley hit grounder to Isaiah Rodriguez at second base, who made a low throw to first that was missed by Nick Caballero, as the ball bounced into the dugout to give Wiley an extra base. Landry Miller struck out swinging for out number one, but during the next at-bat, Wiley stole third on a past ball, before Callahan Shipley drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Abernathy.
Garcia got Alan Macias to strike out swinging for out number two, but a throw to first by Bowman was quickly sent back towards the plate by Caballero, but the ball got by Bowman, allowing Wiley to score and Shipley to advance to third, making the score, 3-0, in favor of the Antelopes.
Jaxson Hoel hit a grounder up the middle that was fielded by Jordan Trevino and thrown to first to end the inning.
Caballero singled on an error by Riley Rivera at shortstop, as Chip Green came in as the pinch runner to begin the third inning. Green took second on a ball in the dirt to Rodriguez, but Rodriguez struck out swinging for out number one. Trevino drew a walk, as Green took third on a past ball and Garcia walked to load the bases with one out.
However, Green got into a rundown and was tagged out at home by Jess Hoel for out number two, as Trevino took third on the play, and Major McNeese hit a slow roller down the first-base line, that was fielded by Jess Hoel and flipped to first for the out to retire the side.
Jess Hoel drew a lead-off walk to kick-off the bottom half of the third inning, and Carrillo singled to right field, moving Jess Hoel over to third and Timms followed it up with an RBI-double to left field to push their lead to, 4-0. Mal Zavala came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Vanstory struck out swinging for out number one and Wiley hit a sacrifice grounder to Isaiah Rodriguez at second base, who got the out at first as Carrillo scored to make the score, 5-0, with two outs. Garcia got Miller to strike out swinging to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, Jonavan Weaver drew a lead-off walk, but Cabello and Bowman struck out swinging, before Ian Mendez singled up the middle for the Wildcats. Caballero, though, would pop up to Timms behind the plate to retire the side.
McNeese relieved Garcia in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he got Shipley to fly out to right-center field on a diving catch by Garcia for out number one. Macias hit a grounder to Trevino at shortstop, but his throw to first was off the mark, giving the Antelopes a base runner. Jaxson Hoel, though, would hit a ball up the middle that was fielded by Rodriguez, who stepped on second and threw to first for the double play to end the inning.
Rodriguez singled through the left side to begin the fifth inning and Trevino hit a chopper through the right side, that moved Rodriguez to third and allowed Trevino to take second on the throw into the infield. Garcia struck out swinging, but McNeese hit a grounder to Vanstory at second base, who got the out at first, as Rodriguez scored and Trevino advanced to third, trimming the lead to, 5-1. Weaver drew a twoout walk and Cabello was hit by a pitch, before Bowman ripped a two-RBI single to the right-fielf fence, cutting the lead to 5-3, as Sam Hill came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Mendez drew a walk to load the bases, as Jess Hoel was relieved by Rivera on the mound. Rivera got Caballero to fly out to Jaxson Hoel in center field to retire the side.
Jess Hoel singled through the left side to open the bottom half of the fifth inning, but Carrillo popped up to McNeese in front of the mound for out number one. Timms hit an RBI-double over Garcia in center field to push their lead back out to, 6-3, and Vanstory popped up to Caballero behind first, but he misplayed the wind, as the ball fell in for a hit, moving Timms to third.
Wiley was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Miller drew an RBIwalk to stretch their lead to, 7-3, as McNeese was relieved on the mound by Caballero. He got Shipley to pop up to Rodriguez at second base for out number two and Macias grounded out to Rodriguez at second base to end the inning.
Rodriguez drew a lead-off walk for Littlefield to open the sixth inning and Trevino singled to right field on a ball that was dropped by Carrillo. Garcia drew a walk to load the bases and McNeese hit an RBI on a fielder’s choice, as Jess Hoel made a diving stop up the middle and tagged second base for the first out of the inning, as the Wildcats trimmed the lead to, 7-4.
McNeese took second on a past ball and Weaver hit a two-RBI single on a fielding error by Vanstory at second base, cutting the lead to, 7-6. Cabello, though, would line out to Macias at third base and Weaver was doubled up at first to retire the side.
Jaxson Hoel singled to center field to begin the bottom of the sixth inning and took second on a wild pitch, before Jess Hoel grounded out to Mendez at third, moving Jaxson Hoel over to third with one out. Carrillo drew a walk, as Mendez relieved Caballero on the mound.
Timms hit an RBI-single through the left side, moving Carrillo over to third, with the score extended to, 8-6. Vanstory struck out swinging, as Timms took second on a pitch, putting two runners in scoring position. Wiley hit an RBI-single on an error by Garcia at third, making the score, 9-6, but Miller was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike to end the inning.
Bowman was hit by a pitch to open the seventh inning, but Mendez struck out swinging for out number one. Caballero would pick him up with a two-run homerun to right-center field to make it a one-run game, 9-8. Rodriguez grounded out to Jess Hoel at shortstop for out number two, but Trevino and Garcia drew back-to-back walks and McNeese hit a grounder through the right side to score one run, but he got caught too far off rounding first and was thrown out by Rivera, to retire the side with the score tied, 9-9.
Abernathy, though, would get a runner on, as Shipley was hit by a pitch and Rivera came on as the pinch runner. Macias struck out swinging, after Rivera took second on a pitch and third on a past ball to get into scoring position. Jaxson Hoel would walk it off with a single up the middle, as the Wildcats fell to Abernathy, 10-9.
Garcia pitched three innings for the Wildcats earning seven strikeouts, while giving up two walks and five runs. McNeese came on in relief duty and pitched 1.1 innings giving up two walks and two runs, while Caballero pitched one inning, giving up one walk and Mendez pitched one inning, earning three strikeouts, while giving up one walk and three runs.
The Wildcats had a double header Saturday against Pampa. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Tulia.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.