LADY CATS CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON AT MULESHOE WITH WIN

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team closed out their regular season on Saturday with a, 15-5, victory over the Muleshoe Lady Mules on the road.

With the win, the Lady Cats close out the regular season with an overall mark of 14-7, 7-3 in district play.

In the top of the first inning, MyKenzie Price grounded out to third for out number one, but Natalia Sanchez singled to left field to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Sanchez stole second on a pitch and third on a wild pitch, before Brookelyn Gau hit a sac grounded to third and was thrown out at first as, Sanchez scored to put the Lady Cats up, 1-0. Katelyn Gau popped up to second base to retire the side.

Alexa Estrada popped up to Sanchez at shortstop for out number one, but Araceli Hernandez singled on a line drive to center field to give the Lady Mules a base runner. Hernandez advanced to second on a past ball, before Heaven McMullen struck out swinging for out number two. Bianca Cereceres hit an RBIdouble to center field to tie the game, 1-1, and Brianna Ruvalcaba singled on a fly ball to second base that was missed by Julie Rodriguez, moving Cereceres over to third with two outs.

Cereceres scored on a missed throw down by Rodriguez at second base, making the score, 2-1, before Payton Critchley grounded out to Sanchez at shortstop to end the inning.

Alex Tenorio struck out looking to begin the second inning for Littlefield, but Tricia Torres singled to left field to give them a base runner. Rodriguez lined out to shortstop for out number two, but Torres advanced to second on a passed ball, before Taryn Golden hit a ground ball to shortstop and reached on an error, as Torres scored, making the score, 2-2. Kaeleigh Logan struck out looking to retire the side.

Brookelyn Gau gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the second inning to Kylie Hernandez, but she was able to retire the next three batters in order to get out of the inning.

Price grounded out to shortstop in the top of the third inning, but Sanchez singled on a hard ground ball to left field and Brookelyn Gau doubled on a fly ball missed by the second baseman, putting runners on second and third with one out for Littlefield. Katelyn Gau singled on an error by the second baseman, as Sanchez scored to regain the lead for the Lady Cats, 3-2.

Tenorio hit a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Brookelyn Gau to tag up and score from third, pushing their lead to, 4-2. Torres singled on a grounder to shortstop, but Katelyn Gau was picked off at third base to retire the side.

Araceli Hernandez singled on a fly ball to left field to get the Mules on the bases in the bottom of the third inning, but Kyla Sierra struck out swinging for out number one. Araceli Hernandez stole second before Cereceres was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike for out number two, as Araceli Hernandez took third on the play with two outs. Araceli Hernandez scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to, 4-3, before Ruvalcaba struck out swinging to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth inning, Rodriguez grounded out to third to lead off the inning, but Golden singled on a line drive to center field and Logan moved her over to third with a double to left field. Arianna Cruz came on as the courtesy runner for Logan, and Price hit a sacrifice grounder to first to score Golden and move Cruz over to third, as they stretched the lead to, 5-3.

Sanchez singled on an error as Cruz scored to extend the lead to, 6-3, and Brookelyn Gau singled on a hard ground ball to Shortstop, putting runners on first and second for the Lady Cats. Katelyn Gau doubled on a line drive to left field, as Sanchez and Brookelyn Gau scored, making the score, 8-3. Tenorio grounded out to first to retire the side.

Brookelyn Gau retired the Lady Mules in order in the bottom of the fourth, as Critchley flew out to Torres in center field, Kylie Hernandez popped up to Sanchez at shortstop and Amri Melton struck out swinging to end the inning.

Torres singled on a ground ball to shortstop and stole second on a pitch, before Rodriguez grounded out to second base, as Torres advanced to third on the play with one out. Golden hit a sacrifice grounder to Shortstop and was thrown out at first, as Torres scored to extend their lead to, 9-3, with two outs. Logan would strike out swinging to retire the side.

Terrah Dominguez lined out to Katelyn Gau at first base to begin the bottom half of the side and Estrada lined out to Rodriguez at second base for out number two. Araceli Hernandez singled on a line drive to right field and Kyla Sierra reached on an error by Price in left field to cut the lead to, 9-4. Sierra was picked off at third by Logan to end the inning, Tenorio was there for the tag.

In the top of the sixth, Price singled on a hard ground ball to third base and Sanchez singled on a fly ball to center field, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Brookelyn Gau doubled on a fly ball to center field to score Price and move Sanchez over to third base, making the score, 10-4. Katelyn Gau popped up to second base for out number one, but on the next pitch, Sanchez scored on a past ball, as Brookelyn Gau advanced to third on the play, pushing their lead to, 11-4.

Torres singled on a hard ground ball through the left side to stretch their lead to, 12-4, but Rodriguez grounded out to third base to retire the side.

Brookelyn Gau kept the Lady Mules quiet in the bottom of the sixth inning, and in the top of the seventh Golden reached on an error by the shortstop to give Littlefield a base runner. Logan grounded out to shortstop, as Golden advanced to third on the play, but Price hit an RBI-single to center field to push their lead to, 13-4.

Sanchez singled on a line drive to center field and stole second on a pitch, before Brookelyn Gau struck out swinging for out number two. Price scored on a past ball, as Sanchez advanced to third, making the score, 14-4, before Katelyn Gau singled to left field to score Sanchez from third, extending the lead to, 15-4. Tenorio would pop up to the second baseman to retire the side.

Muleshoe would add a run in the bottom of the seventh, but they would fall to the Lady Cats, 15-5.

Brookelyn Gau pitched a complete game for the Lady Cats, earning nine strikeouts, giving up one walk and five runs. The Lady Cats will take on the

The Lady Cats will take on the Alpine Lady Bucks in the Class 3A Bi-district round of the playoffs on Thursday at Big Spring.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.