wILDCAT BASEBALL FALLS IN SEASON-OPENER, 6-2

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team dropped their season- opener on Monday at home to Trinity Christian, 6-2.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 0-1 to begin the season.

In the top of the first inning, Trinity’s lead-off man, Josiah Martinez singled on a throwing error to first by Gabe Mata, but Hunter Molinar popped up to Dawson Adkins at third base for out number one. Martinez took second, just beating the throw by senior catcher, Brenden Bowman, and Kyle Moczygemba knocked an RBI-double into right field to score the game’s first run, putting Trinity in front, 1-0.

Colin McKinnon grounded out to Brayden Redman at second base for out number two, as Moczygemba advanced to third on the play. But, senior pitcher, Isaiah Rodriguez, got Cooper Young to ground out to Mata up the middle to retire the side.

The Wildcats came to the plate in the bottom half of the first, but couldn’t get anything going, as Rodriguez flew out to left field, senior, Gabe Montalvo, popped up to Young in right field and senior, Markus Rosales, grounded out to Moczygemba at shortstop to end the inning.

Both teams went scoreless until the top of the third inning. Rodriguez got Martinez to ground out to Mata at shortstop for out number one, but Molinar singled through the right side and Moczygemba singled to shallow right field, putting runners on the corners for the Lions. McKinnon hit into a fielder’s choice to Redman at second base, who got the force out at second, as a run score, putting Trinity in front, 2-0, with two outs. McKinnon would be picked off at second by Bowman, trying to steal to retire the side.

The Wildcat’s offensive struggles continued into the bottom of the third, as Redman struck out swinging, Adam MacDonald popped up to Moczygemba behind second base for out number two and Adkins struck out looking to end the inning.

Montalvo relieved Rodriguez on the mound to start the fourth inning, as he got Young to strike out swinging and Andrew Kinkade to strike out looking for out number two. Noah Hasse drew a walk and Carson Castillo executed a hit-and-run, punching it through the left side, but they would be stranded on base, as Cayden Castillo grounded into a fielder’s choice to Rodriguez at shortstop, who got the force out at second to retire the side.

Rodriguez led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to left field and stole second standing up, before Montalvo flew out to center field for out number one. Rodriguez stole third on the pitcher and scored on a throw down from the catcher that got past the third baseman, cutting the lead in half, 2-1.

Bowman singled through the left side, but junior, Major McNeese, hit a chopper to second that was bobbled, but he was called out at first on a very close play to end the inning.

Martinez opened the top of the fifth inning with a lead-off walk for Trinity and Molinar followed it up with an RBI-triple into the right-center field gap, pushing the lead back outt o, 3-1. Moczygemba hit a chopper to Adkins at third and got the out at first for out number one. McKinnon hit a sacrifice fly ball to McNeese in center field that allowed Molinar to tag- up and score from third, stretching the lead to, 4-1, with two outs. Montalvo would get Young to strike out swinging to retire the side.

Gabe Villanueva struke out swinging to begin the bottom of the fifth for the Wildcats, but Redman ripped a double down the left-field line to give the Littlefield offense a spark. MacDonald singled through the left side, moving Redman to third to put runners on the corners for the Wildcats. The inning was de-railed, though, when Redman got caught in a rundown between third and home and Jakob Kirkland, who was pinch hitting for Adkins, struck out swinging to end the inning.

McNeese relieved Montalvo on the mound to begin the sixth inning. He gave up a lead-off walk to Kinkade, before getting Hasse to fly out to Montalvo in center field for out number one. Carson Castillo lined out to Redman at second base, who then threw to first for the double play to retire the side for the Wildcats.

In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Rodriguez and Montalvo drew back-to-back walks to lead things off, but Rosales hit a high pop fly to shortstop that drifted into shallow left field the Moczygemba dropped the ball forcing Rodriguez to run and he was thrown out at third, after the play, the field umpire said that he called the infield fly rule, so Rosalez was out as well for a double play. Bowman ripped an RBI-single through the left side to score Montalvo, cutting the lead to, 4-2 and McNeese delivered a hit-and run through the left side, putting runners on first and second for the Wildcats.

Villanueva singled through the left side, but Bowman was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second to end the inning.

Trinity would add two runs in the top of the seventh, as Littlefield fell to the Lions, 6-2.

Rodriguez went three innings on the mound for the Wildcats giving up five hits and two runs, while earning one strikeout. Montalvo went two innings giving up two hits, two walks and two runs, while earning three strike outs, while McNeese went 1.1 innings giving up two walks, one hit and two runs, while earning one strike out. Villanueva also pitched .2 innings to close out the game for Littlefield.

The Wildcats hosted a doubleheader on Saturday with Pampa and Vernon. Results were not available at press time. They will be back in action on Tuesday to take on Trinity Christian on the road.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.