Wildcat baseball gets first win of Hartley era

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team took down the Slaton Tigers, 12-7, on Thursday to open their tournament, picking up their first win of the season.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-4 overall on the year.

After recording quick out in the top of the first inning, Xavier Lopez singled to left field, moving Riley Martinez to second on the play and Jacob Lopez singled on an error by Ian Mendez at shortstop, bringing in a run. The runners advanced to second and third on the throw home from Bradyn Redman, as Slaton took an early, 1-0, lead. Jeremy Floyd laid a bunt down the third-base line for an RBI, putting runners on the corners for the Tigers with one out, up, 2-0.

Andres Gutierrez hit a sacrifice groundr to Redman at second base, who got the out at first, as Floyd advanced to second and another run scored to stretch the lead to, 3-0. Rodriguez got Zane Funderbunk to fly out to Major McNeese in shallow center field to retire the side.

Rodriguez got the offense going in the bottom half of the inning for the Wildcats with a grounder to third that was bobbled by Floyd. Rodriguez stole second on the pitcher, but Gabe Montalvo hit into a fielder’s choice to Floyd at third, who threw Rodriguez out at second for the first out of the inning. Montalvo took second on a pitch and McNeese and Brenden Bowman drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Littlefield.

Mendez hit a shot to third that was bobbled by Floyd, who tried to go home with the throw, but the runners were safe everywhere, as the Wildcats cut the lead to, 3-1. Redman hit a sacrifice grounder to Gutierrez at first base, who got the out at first as McNeese scored and Bowman advanced to third with the lead cut to, 32. Chip Green, though, would chop out to Riley Martinez at second base to end the inning.

The Wildcat defense made quick work of the Tigers in the top of the second inning, as Abram Bernal grounded out on a slow roller to Green at third, who threw to first for the out. JaxAlford struck out swinging for out number two and Ryland Kieth grounder to the right side that was fielded by Redman and flipped to Adam MacDonald at first for the out to retire the side.

In the home-half of the inning, MacDonald chopped out to Trak Crow on the mound for the first out of the inning, but Markus Rosales drew a walk to give Littlefield a base runner. He took second on a dropped throw by Gutierrez at first base and Rodriguez had a single fall in right field putting runners on the corners for the Wildcats with one out.

Rodriguez took second ona throw down to first and Montalvo hit a sacrifice grounder to Martinez at second base, as Rosales scored and Rodriguez moved over to third, as the Wildcats tied the game, 3-3. McNeese hit a grounder up the middle that was fielded by Martinez, but McNeese was able to beat the throw to first, as Rodriguez scored to give Littlefield the lead, 4-3. McNeese though was caught stealing to end the inning.

The Wildcat defense again made quick work of the Tigers in the top of the third, as Martinez flew out to Montalvo in left field for out number one. Xavier Lopez drew a walk, but Jacob Lopez struck out looking and Floyd flew out to Rosales in right field to retire the side.

Jacob Lopez relieved Crow on the mound to begin the bottom of the third for the Tigers, as Bowman led things off with a triple into the right-center field gap. Mendez followed it up with RBI-double on an error by Floyd at third, making the score, 5-3. Redman flew out to Crow in right field for out number one, but Green doubled over second base on the throw home that was bobbled by the cacher allowing Mendez to score, making the sxcore, 6-3.

Green took third on a pitch, as MacDonald drew a walk, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Rosales hit a sacrifice fly to Bernal in left field, allowing Green to tag-up and score from third; MacDonald went first-to-third on the throw over the catcher, making the score, 7-3. MacDonald would go on to score on a past ball, pushing their lead to, 8-3, before Rodriguez flew out to Funderbunk in center field to end the inning.

Gabriel Villanueva relieved Rodriguez on the mound in the top of the fourth inning, as Gutierrez led things off for the Tigers with a grounded over second base that was fielded by Rodriguez, but the throw to first was not in time giving Slaton a base runner. He took second on a pitch, before Funderbunk ripped an RBIdouble into left-center field, trimming the lead to, 8-4.

Bernal drew a walk and Alford followed it up with a two-RBI double on a throwing error to third by Villanueva, slicing the lead to, 8-6. Rosales relieved Villanueva on the mound for Littlefield, as Kieth drew a walk. The Wildcats would end the rally, as Martinez lined out to Mendez, who then threw to second for the double play. Xavier Lopez grounded out to Rodriguez at second base to retire the side.

The Wildcat offense was kept off the board in the home-half of the fourth and in the top of the fifth, Rosales got Jacob Lopez to strike out swinging for out number one. Floyd singled on a dropped fly ball in right field by Redman and Gutierrez hit a chopper to Green at third, but a bad throw to first, put runners on the corners for Slaton with one out.

Funderbunk hit a sacrifice chopper over Rosales that was fielded by Rodriguez who got the out at first as a run scored and Gutierrez advanced to second with two outs and the score cut to, 8-7. Rosales would get Bernal to pop out to Redman in shallow right field to retire the side.

The Wildcats were again kept quiet in the bottom of the fifth inning, but they responded on defense in the top of the sixth, getting the Tigers to go three-up-and-three-down.

In the bottom of the sixth, Alberto Luera relieved Jacob Lopez on the mound for the Tigers as Rodriguez and Montalvo drew back-to-back walks to begin the inning for Littlefield. McNeese flew out to Jacob Lopez in shallow left-center field for out number one. The runners advanced to second and third on the pitcher and Bowman hit a grounder to Martinez at second base, who made an error allowing two runs to score, pushing their lead to, 10-7, as Ja’Den Williams came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher.

Mendez struck out swinging for out number two after Williams stole second and third on the pitcher, but Redman drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Littlefield. Green ripped a two-RBI double to the leftfield fence to make the score, 12-7, as Marcquis Rosemond came on as the pinch runner. MacDonald was hit by a pitch, but Rosales flew out to Bernal in left-center field to end the inning, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 12-7, as time expired.

Rodriguez started on the mound for the Wildcats, pitching three innings, giving up three hits, one walk and three runs, while earning two strike outs. Villanueva gave up two hits, one walk and three runs and Rosales closed the game, pitching three innings, giving up two hits, one walk and one run, while earning two strikeouts.