The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team walked off with a, 7-6, victory in extra innings over Kermit on Saturday in game one of their double-header at Wildcat Field.
Both teams were scorless through the first inning, but in the top of the second inning Kermit’s Mikial Burrola singled to left field to lead off the inning. He took second on a pitch and third on a past ball, as Blake Green got both Etham Gomez and Jaden Bejarano to strikeout swinging for two outs. Iasidorl Gardea laid down a bunt that was fielded by Green, who tried to dive for the out at the plate, but the runner was safe to put the Yellowjackets up, 1-0.
Green would get Yosmar Asevedo to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The Wildcats went three-up-and-three-down in the bottom half of the second inning and in the top of the third inning Josh Nunez struck out swinging, but was safe at first on a dropped third strike. Auden Gonzalez drew a walk and took second on a past ball and Joel Garcia hit an RBI-double into left-center field, pushing their lead to, 2-0, as Jonathan Nunez came on as the courtesy runner.
Ramon Davila singled on an error by Caden Longoria in right field, as Jonathan Nunez advanced to third on the play. Burrola flew out to Longoria in right field for out nuber two, but Gomez singled through the left side to drive in a run, making the score, 3-0, before Jaden Bejarano popped up to Turner Heffington behind the mound to retire the side. In the bottom half of the inning, Alex Carrillo struck out looking for out number one and Longoria popped up to Josh Nunez in shallow left field for out number two. Heffington drew a walk to give the Wildcats a base runner and Green followed it up with an RBI-double off of the right-center field fence to cut the lead to, 3-1.
Ethan Hackler followed it up with an RBI-single up the middle to cut the lead to, 3-2, and Chris Brown singled through the left side, before Gus McNabb hit a ball towards second base that hit Brown in the base path for an automatic out to end the inning.
Green and the Wildcat defense kept the Yellowjackets quiet in the top of the fourth inning and in the bottom half of the side, Jonavan Weaver singled off of Burrola at third to lead things off. PJ Cruz laid a sacrifice bunt down the first-base line to move the runner over to second, and Carrillo drew a one-out walk.
Cash Price popped up to Gonzalez in shallow center field for out number two, but Heffington singled to left field and Green followed it up with an RBI single to left field to tie the game, before Heffington was tagged out at third to end the inning with the score tied, 3-3.
Kermit took a one-run lead, 4- 3 in the top of the fifth inning and the Wildcats were unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, Gardea singled on an error by Cruz at shortstop and Asevedo singled over third, before Josh Nunez laid down a bunt to load the bases for Kermit. Gardea scored on a past ball, before Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to reload the bases with the score, 5-3.
Green was relieved on the mound by Cruz. Asevedo scored on a ball that got away from McNabb behind the plate to extend their lead to, 6-3, before Cruz got Garcia to pop up to Brown at shortstop for out number one. He got Davila to also pop up to Brown and got Burrola to strike out swinging to retire the side.
The Wildcats were again held scoreless in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
Cruz made quick work of the Yellowjackets in the top of the seventh inning and Green singled up the middle to lead off the bottom half of the side. Hackler ripped an RBI-triple over Bejarano in center field to cut the lead to, 6-4, and Brown was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners for Littlefield.
Brown took second on a pitch to McNabb, before he singled through the left side, but was called out at second, as two runs scored to tie the game, 6-6. Weaver grounded out to Josh Nunez at shortstop and Cruz popped up to Burrola at third to end the inning.
Cruz and the Littlefield defense kept the Yellowjackets quiet in the top of the eighth inning and came to the plate in the bottom half of the side looking to close things out.
Carrillo singled on an error by by Josh Nunez at shortstop and Brendon Bowman hit into a fielder’s choice to Josh Nunez at shortstop, who got the out at second for out number one. Josh Nunez relieved Garcia on the mound for Kermit and Heffington doubled to right-center field, moving the pinch runner over to third for the Wildcats.
Green struck out looking for out number two, but Hackler drew a walk and a bad pick-off move to third by Nunez allowed the pinch runners to score from third, as the Wildcats walked it off against the Yellowjackets, 7- 6.
Green started on the mound, pitching five innings. He earned six strikeouts, while giving up five walks and five runs. Cruz pitched the final three innings, giving up just one walk and one run, while earning three strikeouts.
The Wildcats traveled to Muleshoe on Tuesday to take on the Mules as district play resumed. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Saturday with a home game against Lamesa.
First pitch is scheduled for noon.