The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team stumbled in their district-opener last Tuesday, as they fell to the Brownfield Cubs, 10-8, in nine innings.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to, 0-1 in district play.
JJ Martinez drew a lead-off walk for the Cubs in the top of the first inning, before Andrew Vallenzuela flew out to Gabe Montalvo in leftcenter field and Lotan Jimenez struck out swinging for out number two. Jonathan Romero singled on an error by Isaiah Rodriguez at shortstop and he took second on the throw in from Major McNeese in left-center field.
Adriano Mireles hit an RBIsingle to shortstop that was stopped with a dive by Rodriguez, putting the Cubs in front, 1- 0. Mireles took second on a past ball, before Ivan DeLeon knocked a two-RBI single through the left side to extend their lead to, 3-0. Juan Najera singled through the left side, and the runners advanced on a past ball, before Josh Gonzales hit a two-RBI single past Rodriguez at shortstop, pushing their lead to, 5-0. Brandon Anthony flew out to Montalvo in left field to retire the side.
McNeese drew a lead-off walk, but Ian Mendez popped up behind the plate to the catcher, Austin Sisson for out number one. McNeese tagged up and stole second on the play, and took third on a throw into right-center field. Rodriguez drew a walk and took second on a fake-throw down to second, before Brenden Bowman ripped a two-RBI single to left field, cutting the lead to, 5-2, as Sam Hill came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.
Chip Green struck out looking for out number two, but Elijah Salazar followed it up with an RBIsingle to third on a throwing error to first by Ivan DeLeon, trimming the lead to, 5-3. Markus Rosales would pop up to Anthony behind the mound to end the inning.
Both teams were kept quiet in the second inning, but in the top of the third, Mendez got Mireles to pop up to Green at third base for out number one, but DeLeon tripled to right-center field, just out of the reach of the glove of McNeese to give the Cubs a scoring threat. Najera hit a grounder to Rodriguez at shortstop and took second on a throwing error to first by Rodriguez, allowing a run to score, pushing their lead to, 6-3.
Gonzales laid a swinging bunt down the first-base line that was fielded by Mendez, who threw to first for the out, as Najera advanced to third on the play with two outs. Anthony hit an RBIsingle to center field to make the score, 7- 3, and Martinez was walked, before Mendez was relieved on the mound by McNeese for Littlefield. McNeese got Vallenzuela to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The Wildcats went three-upand- three-down in the bottom of the third inning and in the top of the fourth, Jimenez lined out to shortstop on a diving play by Mendez for out number one. Romero singled to shallow center field and Mireles singled to right field, before DeLeon flew out to Montalvo in center field for out number two. Najera ripped an RBIsingle to right field, putting runners on the corners for Brownfield, with the score, 8-3, but McNeese got Gonzales to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The score remained, 8-3, until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Mendez was hit by a pitch to lead things off for the Wildcats. Rodriguez hit a grounder down the third-base line that got under the glove of DeLeon at third, putting runners on second and third for Littlefield. Bowman drew a walk to load the bases, as Hill came on as the courtesy runner.
Anthony was relieved on the mound by Jaden Salas for the Cubs. Green ripped a two-RBI double to the right-center field fence to cut the lead to, 8-5, and Salazar was hit by a pitch to reload the bases for Littlefield. Rosales hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field, that allowed Hill to tag up and score from third, trimming the lead to, 8-6. Armando Ramon would ground out up the middle to Martinez, who stepped on second base for the force out to end the inning.
McNeese and the Wildcat defense kept the Cubs quiet again in the top of the sixth, as Littlefield came back to bat, looking to even the score in the bottom half of the inning. Montalvo hit a chopper to Martinez at shortstop, who made a bad throw to first to put the leadoff man aboard for Littlefield. McNeese singled to left-center field, moving Montalvo over to third for the Wildcats.
Mendez drew a walk to load the bases for Littlefield, as Salas was relieved on the mound by JT Tijerina, as he got Rodriguez to pop up for out number one. Bowman hit into a fielder’s choice to Martinez at shortstop, but McNeese was safe at third, as Montalvo scored to make the score, 8-7. Green lined out to left field for out number two, as McNeese tagged up and scored from third to tie the game, 8-8.
Salazar was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Rosales hit into a fielder’s choice up the middle that was fielded by Martinez, who stepped on second base for the force out to end the inning.
The game remained deadlocked until the top of the ninth inning, when Najera drew a lead-off walk for the Cubs. His time on the bases would be short-lived, as he was picked on at second by Bowman, Mendez was there for the tag for out number one. Sisson hit a slow grounder to Rodriguez at second base for out number two, but Tijerina singled to right-center field and Martinez followed it up with an RBI-triple down the right field line to put the Cubs in front, 9-8.
The Cubs followed it up with an RBI-chopper to Green at third that was bobbled and the throw was not in time to first, pushing the lead out to, 10-8. McNeese got Jimenez to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The Wildcats got two runners aboard in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get the runs in, as they fell just short of the comeback, 10-8.
Mendez started on the mound for the Wildcats throwing 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs and two walks, while earning one strike out. McNeese came on in relief and pitched 6.1 innings giving up three runs and two walks, while earning 12 strike outs.