The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team fell into an early hole Saturday in Seminole, as they fell to the Hereford Lady Whitefaces, 11-8.
With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to, 1-2 in tournament play on the weekend.
The Lady Cats were kept quiet in the top of the first inning and in the bottom half of the inning, Madi Valdez singled through the right side to get the offense going for Hereford. Mia Florez, though, would ground into a fielder’s choice to Natalia Sanchez at shortstop, who went to Julie Rodriguez at second base for the force out for out number one.
Tori Alamos singled on an error by Taryn Golden at first base and on the next at-bat, Aniah Mendoza hit a two-RBI double to center field to give Hereford a, 2-0 lead. Jasmine Sanchez hit an RBI-double to right field to push their lead to, 3-0, and Aubrianna Salinas followed it up with a homerun to center field to stretch their lead to, 5- 0.
Aron Diaz grounded out to Alex Tenorio at third base for out number two and Julia LaRue grounded out to Golden at first base to end the inning.
Natalia Sanchez drew a walk to lead off the second inning for Littlefield, but Tenorio flew out to center field for out number one. Alex Hernandez singled on a grounder to shortstop and Ari singled on an error by the shortstop to load the bases for Littlefield. Rodriguez drew a walk to bring in a run and get the Lady Cats on the board, making the score, 5-1.
But, Kaeleigh Logan struck out swinging for out number two and Hernandez was picked off at third by the catcher to retire the side.
Hereford scored four runs on two errors by the Lady Cats in the bottom half of the second to stretch their lead to, 9-1.
But the Lady Cats would find some offense in the top of the third as Golden drew a lead-off walk and Cadence Sanchez singled on an error by the first baseman, moving Golden all the way to third to put runners on the corners for Littlefield.
Cadence Sanchez stole second, before Tricia Torres ripped a two-RBI double into left field to cut the lead to, 9-3. Natalia Sanchez singled on an error by the third baseman and Tenorio followed it up with an RBI-double to left field to trim the lead to, 9-4. Hernandez drew a walk to load the bases for the Lady Cats and Ari drew another walk to bring in a run and make the score, 9-5.
Rodriguez hit a two-RBI double to center field and took third on the throw home, cutting the lead to, 9-7, with no outs. Logan would strike out swinging for out number and Golden grounded out to second, as a run came in to score, making the score, 9-8, with two outs. Cadence Sanchez was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike to retire the side.
Hereford added one run in the bottom of the fourth inning and one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the contest, 11-8.
Cadence Sanchez pitched a complete game for the Lady Cats, giving up 11 runs and one walk, while earning two strikeouts.