The Littlefield Wildcats Babe Ruth team took down the Andrews Mustangs on Thursday, 7-5, in their opening game at the Babe Ruth State Tournament, which is being played in Littlefield. With the win, the Wildcats are
1-0 in tournament play.
Major McNeese gave up a leadoff single to Juan Hernandez to open the first inning, and he took second on a pitch, before Nehemiah Gomez was thrown out at first by Armando Ramon on a dropped third strike for out number one. Juan Hernandez took third on the play.
Kamich Padilla was hit by a pitch and Charlie Lightfoot was walked to load the bases for Andrews. McNeese gave up an RBI-walk to Jose Gomez to make the score, 1- 0. But, he would recover, as Justice Rodriguez laid down a bunt that was fielded by McNeese, who got the force out at home for out number two. Lightfoot was thrown out at the plate on the next play, as he tried to steal home to retire the side.
McNeese laid a swinging bunt down the first-base line that was fielded by the pitcher, Juan Hernandez, who threw it to first for the out. Isaiah Rodriguez drew a walk to give Littlefield a base runner, but Ian Mendez grounded into a fielder’s choice to Lightfoot at third, who got the force out at second for out number two. A balk sent Mendez to second, but Brady Jones would strike out swinging to end the inning.
Carter Lee led off the top of the second inning for Andrews with a walk, but McNeese got Cameron Hernandez to strike out looking for out number one. Corbin Cates hit a shot up the middle, but Chip Green made a diving stop to keep it in the infield, as he got the force out at second for out number two. Juan Hernandez flew out to Markus Rosales in right field to retire the side.
In the bottom half of the second inning, Green drew a walk to start things off and he stole second on a past ball, before Brendon Bowman ripped a ground-rule double to left field to tie the game, 1-1. Rosales hit a sac grounded to the pitcher, who got the out at first, as Bowman advanced to third on the play with one out.
Ramon, though, was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike and Bradyn Redman was struck out looking to end the inning.
McNeese earned two quick outs in the top of the third inning, as he got Nehemiah Gomez to strike out swinging and he got Padilla to fly out to Rosales in right field. Lightfoot singled to Mendez at shortstop to give Andrews a runner and a balk on the next play moved him over to second. However, he was thrown out by Ramon trying to steal third to retire the side, Bowman was there for the tag.
Cameron Hernandez relieved Juan Hernandez on the mound to begin the bottom half of the third inning for Andrews.
Adam Macdonald popped up to Juan Hernandez at first for out number one, but McNeese singled to right field and on a hit-and-run, Rodriguez hit a single to left field and took second on the throw in to put runners on third and second for the Wildcats. Mendez followed it up with a two-RBI double through the left side to put Littlefield in front, 3-1, but Jones grounded out to second base and Green struck out looking to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, McNeese gave up a lead-off triple to Jose Gomez and Rodriguez followed it up with a sacrifice grounded to Green, who got the out at first, as the run came in to score to cut the lead to, 3-2. Lee struck out swinging for out number two, but Cameron Hernandez drew a walk to give the Mustangs a runner. Cates, though, would chop out to Green at second base to retire the side.
The Wildcats had nothing going in the bottom of the fourth, as Bowman struck out swinging, Rosales struck out looking and Ramon struck out swinging to end the inning.
Rodriguez relieved McNeese on the mound in the top of the fifth inning, as he got the lead-off man to pop up to himself on the mound for out number one. Nehemiah Gomez drew a walk and Padilla and Lightfoot hit back-to-back singles to load the bases for Andrews. Rodriguez hit into a fielder’s choice to Green at second, who got the force out at second for out number two, as a run scored to tie the game, 3-3.
Lee drew a walk to load the bases, but Cameron Hernandez was struck out swinging to retire the side.
In the home half of the fifth inning, Redman grounded out to Cameron Hernandez on the mound and Macdonald hit a chopper over the pitcher that was fielded by Padilla and thrown to first for out number two. McNeese ripped a blast into the right-center field gap for an inside of the park homerun to regain the lead for Littlefield, 4- 3. But Rodriguez would line out to Padilla at shortstop to end the inning.
The Wildcats took a one-run lead into the top of the sixth, as Rodriguez got Cameron Hernandez to strike out looking for out number one. Cates lined out to Green at second base, but Juan Hernandez singled up the middle, and a diving grab by Mendez at shortstop kept the ball on the infield to prevent extra bases.
Nehemiah Gomez singled to left field and Padilla singled through the left side to load the bases. Lightfoot popped up to the left side and some miss-communication between Bowman and Mendez allowed the ball to hit the turf for a two-RBI double, making the score, 5-4, in favor of Andrews.
Green relieved Rodriguez on the mound, as he walked Jose Gomez to load the bases, but, Padilla got into a run down between third and home and was tagged out at the plate by Ramon on the throw from Bowman to retire the side.
Mendez led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple to leftcenter field and Jones followed it up with an RBI-double to right field to tie the game, 5-5. Green hit a sacrifice grounder to Lightfoot at third, who got the out at first, as Jones advanced to third on a delayed steal with one out.
Bowman hit an RBI-single to shortstop and took second on a throwing error to first by Padilla, giving Littlefield the lead, 6-5. Xavier Champion came on as a pinch runner for Bowman and stole third on the pitcher, before Rosales hit a shot past Lightfoot at third for an RBI-single to extend their lead to, 7-5. Rosales stole second, but his foot came off of the bag as he was tagged out for out number two. Ramon struck out to end the inning, as the Wildcats took the field on defense looking to close out the game.
After Justice Rodriguez drew a lead-off walk in the top of the seventh, he took second on a wild pitch to move into scoring position. Lee singled to left field, but Redman was able to catch it on the hop and fired to third, as Bowman slapped the tag on Rodriguez for out number one. Cameron Hernandez struck out looking for out number two and Cates hit a grounder to Mendez at shortstop, who made a low throw to first, but Jones was able to scoop it for the final out to close out the game for Littlefield.
McNeese started on the mound for the Wildcats pitching four innings. He gave up five walks and two runs, while earning four strikeouts in the contest. Rodriguez came on in relief duty pitching 1.2 innings, giving up three runs and two walks, while earning two strikeouts. Green closed out the game pitching 1.1 innings, earning one strikeout, while giving up two walks.
The Wildcats played their second game at 3 p.m. on Friday results were not available at press time.