Lady Cats fall to Lady Cubs,16-13

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity softball team fell to the Brownfield Lady Cubs at home last Tuesday, 16-13, in district play.

With the loss, the Lady Cats fall to 11-4 overall, 1-3 in district play.

Brownfield came out swinging out of the gates, as Azanea Dominguez hit a shot back at Natalia Sanchez in the circle, who got the out at first for out number one. Mandy Martinez singled off of the leg of Sanchez in the circle and Janah Burns laid a bunt down on the third-base side, beating Brianna Aleman’s throw to first.

Payzlea Bauman ripped a two-RBI double past Aleman at third to put the Lady Cubs in front, 2-0, but Sanchez got Jaylyn Gonzales to pop up to Bryndle Ray in shallow left field for out number two. Brailee Franco hit a ball to Ray at shortstop and ended up on second with an RBI-double on a throwing error, stretching the lead to, 3-0. Melody Salas would pop up to Myli Hernandez in shallow center field to retire the side.

Dominguez took the circle for Brownfield as she got Ray to pop up in foul territory to first base for out number one. Alyssa Torres doubled to left field and Taryn Golden followed it up with an RBIsingle to right field, trimming the lead to, 3-1. Sanchez drew a walk and Aleman followed it up with an RBI-single to center field on a drop by Jaylyn Gonzales, making the score, 3-2.

Lyric Rios struck out swinging for out number two, but Hernandez singled through the left side to tie the game, 3-3, before Cali Saldana hit into a fielder’s choice to Salas at shortstop, who got the out at third to end the inning.

The Lady Cubs managed two base runners in the top of the second inning, but the Lady Cats were able to keep them off the board, keeping the game tied, 3-3, going into the home-half of the third.

Brinley Acevedo led things off in the third inning with a single to left field and Ray followed it up with a single through the left side, putting two runners on for the Lady Cats with no outs. Torres hit into a fielder’s choice to Salas at shortstop, who got the lead-runner at third for out number one. Golden ripped a two-RBI triple to the right-field fence to put the Lady Cats in front, 5- 3, and Sanchez followed it up with a sacrifice fly to deep center field that allowed Golden to tag-up and score from third, pushing their lead to, 6-3.

Aleman would pop up to Franco at second base to end the inning.

Brownfield would answer in the top of the third inning, as Bauman led things off with a solo homerun to left field, trimming the lead to, 6-4. Jaylyn Gonzales followed it up with a double to left field, but Franco lined out to Hernandez in center field and she threw to second for the double play to clear the bases.

Salas doubled off the base of the left-field fence and Zerika Gonzales followed it up with a tworun homerun to center field to tie the game, 6-6.Kenzi Gutierrez grounded out to Acevedo at second base to retire the side.

The Lady Cats were kept quiet in the bottom half of the third inning, and in the top of the fourth, Dominguez singled through the left side and Martinez was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second for the Lady Cubs with no outs. Burns hit a slow roller to Aleman at third, who made a bad throw to first, allowing a run to score, putting the Lady Cubs in front, 7-6.

Bauman cleared the bases with a three-run homerun to right field stretching their lead to, 10-6, ending the day in the circle for Sanchez, as she was relieved by Saldana.

Saldana gave up a single to Jaylyn Gonzales, but on the next play, she was canned at second by Golden for out number one. Franco singled up the middle, but Salas popped up to Rios in right field and Zerika Gonzales grounded out to Ray at shortstop to retire the side.

In the home-half of the fourth, Ray grounded out to Zerika Gonzales at second base for out number one, but Torres drew a walk to give the Lady Cats a base runner. Golden flew out to deep left field for out number two, but Sanchez cleared the bases with a two-run homerun to left-center field, slicing the lead to, 10-8.

Aleman singled on an error by Salas at shortstop, but Rios popped up to the catcher, Bauman on the first-base side to end the inning.

In the fifth inning, Gutierrez doubled down the left-field line to lead off for Brownfield, but Dominguez flew out to Hernandez in center field for out number one. Martinez hit an RBI-single into right-center field, extending their lead to, 11-8, but Burns struck out swinging, as Martinez advanced to second on a past ball with two outs.

Bauman singled on a hit to Ray at shortstop, but Jaylyn Gonzales flew out to Torres in left field to end the inning.

The Lady Cats were kept off the board in the bottom half of the fifth and in the top of the sixth Gutierrez connected for a two-run homerun to center field and Dominguez followed it up with a solo shot to left field, stretching their lead to, 14-8, before Saldana got Burns to strike out swinging to retire the side.

After keeping Littlefield quiet in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lady Cubs added two runs ona throwing error to make the score, 16-8, heading into the final half inning.

Saldana singled to third on a throwing error by Zerika Gonzales, advancing to third on the play. Acevedo hit a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Saldana to tag-up and score from third, trimming the lead to, 16-9. Ray drew a walk and Torres followed it up with a two-run homerun to center field, cutting the lead to, 16-11.

Golden grounded out to Franco at second base for out number two, but Sanchez picked her up with a solo homerun to center field, her second of the game, cutting the lead to, 16-12. Aleman kept the rally going with a solo homerun to right field to make the score, 1613, and Rios doubled to right-center field, before Audrey McKinnon struck out looking to end the game.

Sanchez started in the circle for the Lady Cats pitching 3.2 innings, giving up 12 hits and 10 runs, eight earned, while Saldana pitched 3.1 innings giving up nine hits and six runs, five earned, while earning two strikeouts.