The Littlefield Mustangs’ varsity baseball team dropped their first meeting of the season with the Shallowater Mustangs on the road on Monday, 8-3.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 14-6 overall, 5-2 in district play.
In the top of the first inning, Major McNeese, led things off with a single through the left side and Adam MacDonald followed it up with a sacrifice bunt to move McNeese over tos econd with one out. Bradyn Redman struck out swinging for out number two, but Green drove an RBI-single to left field to put the Wildcats up, 1-0.
Green took second on a bad back pick to first by Rylen Ramos behind the plate. However, Gabe Mata struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the first inning, Maddox McDonald singled on an error by Mata at second base and Clayton Vincent laid down a sacrifice bunt to McNeese on the mound, who got the out at first as McDonald moved over to second with one out. McDonald would end up stranded on second base, as Gerrit Boschma flew out to Gabriel Villanueva in deep left field for out number two and Zack Scott flew out to Redman in center field to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, Ian Mendez laid down a bunt and reached base safely as the ball was bobbled by Vincent at third base. Jakob Kirkland pushed a bunt passed the pitched to second base and reached first safely, but Mendez was thrown out tryin to go first to third on the play. Jakob Kirkland would get caught stealing by Brayden Gurney for out number two and Jayden Kirkland struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the home-half of the second inning, Pierce Keeney lined out to Jakob Kirkland in right field for out number one, but Kaedyn Carter singled through the left side and Ramos doubled off the center-field fence, as Moore came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Carter was tagged out at third by Green after a failed squeez attempt for out number two, but Blaine St. Clair followed it up with an RBIsingle over first base to tie the game, 1-1. McNeese would get Rylen Blackburn to pop up to MacDonald at first base to end the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Villanueva struck out swinging to begin the inning, but McNeese picked him up with a triple down the first-base line. However, the Wildcats were unable to plate that run, as MacDonald struck out looking and Redman struck out swinging to retire the side.
Shallowater started the bottom of the third inning with a single up the middle by McDonald. McNeese got Vincent to strike out swinging for out number one, but McDonald advanced to second on a dropped ball by Jayden Kirkland behind the plate. McDonald took third on a passed ball and Boschma drew a walk to put runners on the corners for the Mustangs.
Scott drove an RBI-single to right field to put the Mustangs in front, 2-1, with runners on first and second and one out, and Keeney hit into a fielder’s choice to Mata at second base, who made a bad throw to Mendez on second, loading the bases for Shallowater. Carter lined out to Villanueva in left field for out number two, but Ramos drew an RBI-walk to stretch the lead to, 3-1, before St. Clair struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Wildcats went three-upand- three down in the top of the fourth, and in the bottom half of the inning, Blackburn flew out to Villanueva in left field for out number one and McDonald struck out swinging for out number two. Vincent drew a walk and he would break for second on the pitch as Boschma drove a single to left field on the hit-and-run, putting runners on the corners for Shallowater.
Boschma stole second on a cut throw by Mendez and Scott followed it up with a two-RBI double to right-center field, stretching their lead to, 5-1. Keeney would pop up to MacDonald at first base in foul territory to end the inning.
Littlefield couldn’t get anything going in the top of the fifth, as they went down on strikeouts to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fifth, Carter singled on an error by Green at third base, but Ramos popped up in foul territory to MacDonald at first base for out number one, and McNeese got Carson Key to strike out swinging for out number two. Carter took second on a pitch in the dirt, before Blackburn drove an RBI-single up the middle, taking second on the throw to the plate by Redman, making the score, 6-1.
McDonald knocked an RBI double over Redman in center field to push their lead to, 7-1, as Green relieved McNeese on the mound for the Wildcats. Vincent singled on an error by Mendez at shortstop putting runners on the corners for Shallowater, but the Wildcats would work out of it, as Boschma chopped out to Mata at third base to end the inning.
Shallowater added a run in the bottom of the sixth to make the score, 8-1, heading into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, Green drew a lead-off walk, but Mata struck out swinging for out number one. Green took second on a pitch, before, Mendez drove an RBI-double to right field that was missed by St. Clair, making the score, 8-2. Gurney was relieved on the mound by J.P. Naranjo for the Mustangs, as Jakob Kirkland lined out to left-center field for out number two.
Jayden Kirkland singled through the left side, moving Mendez to third and Villanueva followed it up with an RBI-single to second base on an error, allowing Mendez to score to make the score, 8-3. McNeese, though, would chop out to second base to end the game.
McNeese started on the mound and went 4.2 innings, giving up nine hits, three walks and seven runs, three earned, while striking out four batters. Green pitched 1.1 innings, giving up two hits and one run, while striking out two batters.
The Wildcats hosted Idalou on Saturday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a road game against Muleshoe. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.