Lady Cats come up short against Presidio, 9-3

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team saw their season come to an end on Friday in the Class 3A Bi-district round of the play-offs, as they fell to the Presidio Lady Devils, 9-3, in Wink.

With the loss, the Lady Cats finish the season with a mark of 14-8 overall.

In the top of the first inning, the Lady Cats were unable to get anything going, as Presidio’s Valerie Armendariz got Bryndle Ray to strike out looking for out number one and she got Alyssa Torres to strike out swinging for out number two. Taryn Golden popped up to the pitcher in front of the circle to retire the side.

Yarely Aviles got the home-half of the first inning going with a double to right-center field for Presidio, but Natalie Molinar hit into a fielder’s choice to Ray at shortstop, who tagged the runner at second for out number one. Valerie Armendariz would follow it up with an RBI-double off of the center-field fence to put the Lady Devils in front, 1-0.

Adriana Armendariz was hit by a pitch and Ximena Montemayor singled over shortstop to push their lead to, 2-0. Natalia Sanchez would bounce back in the circle, as she got America Padron to strike out swinging for out number two. Kimberly Madrid hit an RBI-single to center field to make the score, 3-0, but the throw home was cut off by Sanchez, who got Madrid in a rundown between first and second where she was eventually tagged out by Ray to end the inning.

The Lady Cats could not find the offense in the top of the second, as Sanchez, Brianna Aleman and Lyric Rios all went down swinging to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the inning, Sanchez picked up two quick outs, as Natalia Sanchez popped up to Brinley Acevedo at second base for out number one and Marily Armendariz flew out to Cali Saldana in right field for out number two. However, Aviles would single to right field to give the Lady Devils a base runner and Molinar roped a double to the leftfield fence.

Valerie Armendariz hit a two-RBI single to second base on an error by Acevedo, making the score, 50, as Caro Lares came on as the courtesy runner. Adriana Armendariz would ground out to Ray at shortstop to end the inning.

The Lady Cats struggles offensively continued into the third inning, as Myli Hernandez struck out swinging and Saldana struck out looking for the first two outs of the inning. Acevedo put the ball in play, but was called for obstruction at first base to retire the side.

The Lady Cat defense responded in the bottom half of the third, as Sanchez got Montemayor to fly out to Saldana in right field for out number one and she got Padron to strike out swinging for out number two. Madrid singled to center field to give the Lady Devils a base runner and Sanchez drew a walk to put two runners on for Presidio, but they would be left stranded, as Marily Armendariz popped up to Acevedo at second base to end the inning.

The Lady Cats found a bit of life on offense in the fourth inning. Ray struck out swinging to lead things off, but Torres drew a walk and made it to second on a past ball on the play to get into scoring position for Littlefield. Golden hit a sacrifice chopper to Montemayor at second base, who got the out at first as Torres advanced to third with two outs.

Sanchez had an RBI-single fall behind first base to get the Lady Cats on the board, trimming the lead to, 5-1, but Aleman struck out swinging to retire the side.

Presidio would respond in the bottom half of the fourth, as Aviles singled to shortstop on a throwing error to first by Ray and Molinar followed it up with a single through the left side, putting runners on the corners for the Lady Devils. Molinar took second on a pitch, before Valerie Armendariz popped up to Ray at shortstop for out number one.

Adriana Armendariz ripped an RBI-single to center field, Golden fired a throw back to third, but it got past Aleman allowing another run to score and Adriana Armendariz to land on third with a triple and the score extended to, 7- 1. Montemayor struck out swinging for out number two, but Adriana Armendariz scored on a past ball to make the score, 8-1, before Padron struck out swinging to end the inning.

Rios got the fifth inning started for Littlefield with a grounder to second base, the throw to first was dropped to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Hernandez laid a bunt down on the third base side and a bad throw to first left runners on the corners for Littlefield with no outs.

Hernandez took second on a pitch before Saldana struck out swinging for out number one. Acevedo struck out swinging for out number two, but Rios scored on a past ball and Hernandez advanced to third, trimming the lead to, 8-2, before Ray struck out swinging to retire the side.

In the home-half of the fifth, Madrid hit a chopper to Ray at shortstop and was thrown out at first for out number one, but Sanchez laid down a bunt that was fielded by Sanchez and thrown to first, but the ball was dropped at first by Acevedo giving the Lady Devils a base runner.

Marily Armendariz hit into a fielder’s choice to Acevedo at second base, who got the force out at second for out number two, but Aviles singled through the left side and Molinar followed it up with an RBI-single to left field, pushing the lead to, 9-2. Valerie Armendariz chopped out to Acevedo at second base to end the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Torres singled on an error by Montemayor at second base, but Golden struck out swinging for out number one. Sanchez picked her up with an RBI-double off of the right-field fence to cut the lead to, 9-3. However, Aleman and Rios both struck out swinging to retire the side.

The score would stand through the next inning and a half, as the Lady Cats fell to Presidio, 9-3, in the Bi-district round of the playoffs.

Sanchez started the game in the circle for the Lady Cats pitching five innings, giving up 11 hits, one walk and nine runs, six earned, while earning four strikeouts. Saldana pitching one inning in relief giving up two hits.