The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team blasted the Muleshoe Mules on the road last Tuesday, 163, to take their first meeting of district play.
With the win, the Wildcats improved to 2-2 in district play.
The Wildcats opened the game with a four-run first inning and in the bottom half of the side, Ian Mendez got Eliasar Cisneros to ground out to him on the mound for out number one. Yahir Quezada singled on an error by Isaiah Rodriguez at shortstop, but Ryan Dominguez popped up to Adam MacDonald at first base for out number two.
Quezada took second on a past ball and Donovan Moreno drew a walk to put runners on first and second for the Mules, however, Sebastian Kirven grounded out to MacDonald at first base to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, MacDonald grounded out up the middle to the shortstop, Cisneros for out number one, but Major McNeese drew a walk and took second on a pitch and third on a ball in the dirt, before Mendez drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Littlefield. Mendez took second on a pitch, before Rodriguez ripped a two-RBI triple into the right-center field gap to stretch the lead to, 6-0.
Rodriguez scored on a past ball to extend their lead to, 7- 0, before Brenden Bowman drew a walk, bringing Sam Hill on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Chip Green laid down a bunt and beat out the throw to first and the runners advanced on a past ball, before Markus Rosales hit a two-RBI single through the right side, taking second on the throw home, pushing their lead to, 9-0.
Elijah Salazar was hit by a pitch, and Dominguez was relieved on the mound by Brayton Butler. Rosales was picked off at second base by Butler for out number two. Salazar took second and third on wild pitches, but Armando Ramon hit a one-hopper to Cisneros at shortstop to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second, the Wildcats made quick work of the Mules, as Mendez got Mauricio Herrera to strike out swinging; he was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike for out number one. Jake Villanueva singled to shallow center field, but Nic Reyes hit a grounder to Salazar at second base, who threw to Rodriguez at second, who then fired to MacDonald at first for the double play to end the inning.
MacDonald drew a lead-off walk to open the third inning and McNeese followed it up with a single to right field, moving MacDonald over to third. MacDonald would score on a bad throw back to the pitcher, as McNeese advanced to second on the error, making the score, 10-0. Mendez was hit by a pitch and the runners advanced on a past ball, before Rodriguez grounded out to Butler on the mound for out number one.
Bowman lined out to center field, allowing McNeese to tag up and score from third, but Mendez was thrown out at third by Moreno for the double play to retire the side, with the score, 11-0.
The Mules found some offense in the bottom of the third inning, as Butler lined out to Salazar at second base for out number one, but Cisneros singled on an error by Salazar at second base and Quezada singled to shallow center field. Dominguez flew out to Rodriguez at shortstop for out number two, but the runners advanced on a wild pitch, before Moreno sent a two-RBI triple into the right-center field gap to trim the lead to, 11-2.
Kirven followed it up with an RBIdouble over first base to make the score, 11- 3, before Mendez got Johnny Hernandez to strike out swinging to end the inning.
Both teams went scoreless through the fourth inning, and in the top of the fifth inning, Hill drew a lead-off walk, before Butler was relieved on the mound by Reyes for Muleshoe. McNeese was hit by a pitch and Mendez followed it up with an RBIsingle to shallow center field making the score, 12-3. The runners advanced on a past ball, before Rodriguez struck out swinging for out number one.
Bowman hit a high chopper to first that was bobbled, for a two-RBI single on an error, making the score, 14-3. Green struck out looking for out number two, but Bowman took second on a pitch, before Rosales had an RBIdouble fall inside the third-base line in left field, making the score, 15-3.
Rosales took third on a wild pitch, before Salazar walked and Rosales scored on a bad throw back to the pitcher, making the score, 16- 3. Ramon, though, would strike out swinging to retire the side.
Rosales came in for Green on the mound for the Wildcats to start the bottom of the fifth inning, as he and the Wildcat defense shut down the Mules to close out the game, giving them the, 16-3, victory.
Mendez started on the mound for the Wildcats pitching three innings giving up three runs and one walk, while earning two strike outs. Green pitched one inning in relief, earning one strike out, while Rosales closed out the game for the Wildcats pitching one inning, earning one strike out.