Wildcats blast Rangers, 18-2 to end tournament

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team concluded their tournament on Saturday with a big win over the Perryton Rangers, 182, at Wildcat Field.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 3-5 overall on the year.

Markus Rosales made quick work of the Rangers in the top of the first inning, as Julian Cervantes popped up to Isaiah Rodriguez behind first base for out number one, Gus Eylar grounded out to Chip Green at third for out number two and Dalton L’Esperance struck out swinging to retire the side.

Cervantes started on the mound for the Rangers, as Rodriguez led things off for the Wildcats with a single off of the glove of Sammy Perez at first base to give Littlefield a base runner. Gabe Montalvo and Major McNeese were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brenden Bowman roped a three-RBI double into the right-center field gap to put the Wildcats in front, 3-0.

Ian Mendez laid a bunt down the third-base line, moving Bowman to third, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Mendez took second on a pitch and Ja’Den Williams hit a chopper to third base for an RBI, beating the throw to first, as Mendez took third on a delayed steal, making the score, 4-0. Williams stole second on a pitch and Green followed it up with a two-RBI double into the left-center field gap, stretching their lead to, 6-0.

Payton Sunday relieved Cervantes on the mound for Perryton. Green stole third on a past ball and Adam MacDonald drew a walk to put runners on the corners for the Wildcats. MacDonald took second on a pitch and Rosales hit an infield single to Gael Flores at shortstop for an RBI, moving MacDonald over to third with the score, 7-0.

Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases and Montalvo followed it up with an RBI-single through the right side, pushing their lead to, 8-0. McNeese was hit by a pitch to bring in a run and Bowman drew an RBI-walk to make the score, 10-0, as Noel Ramirez relieved Sunday on the mound.

Mendez drew an RBI-walk to stretch the lead to, 11-0, and Williams knocked a two-RBI double over shortstop to make the score, 13-0. Green hit a sacrifice fly ball to Alexis Martinez that allowed Mendez to tag up and score from third, extending the lead to, 14-0, and Williams took third on a pitch to MacDonald, before MacDonald hit a ball foul off of the end of the bat down the first-base line, but the ball came back in play and was picked up by the first baseman, who touched the bag for an out as Williams scored to make the score, 15-0.

Rosales lined out to Ramirez on the mound to end the inning.

In the top of the second inning, Rosales went back to work on the mound, as Flores lined out to McNeese in center field for out number one. Martinez singled up the middle, but Perez lined out to Green at third, who doubled up Martinez at first base to retire the side.

In the home-half of the second inning, Rodriguez drew a lead-off walk and stole second on a pitch, before Montalvo laid a bunt down the third-base line; he was able to take second on the play as Perryton did not cover second base. McNeese followed it up with a two-RBI single over the second baseman, stretching the lead to, 17-0. McNeese stole second on a pitch before Bowman knocked him in with an RBI-single over first. Bradyn Redman came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher with the score, 18-0.

Perryton would respond, as Mendez flew out to left field, Williams struck out looking and Green flew out to left field to end the inning.

Rosales retired the Rangers in order in the third inning, as Ramirez flew out to McNeese in center field, Erick Navarrete struck out swinging and Sunday struck out looking to retire the side.

Zach Valdez took over for Ramirez on the mound to begin the bottom half of the third inning for Perryton, as he got MacDonald to fly out to Raider Rodriguez in leftcenter field for out number one. Rosales hit a short liner to Flores at shortstop and Rodriguez flew out to center field to end the inning.

Xavier Champion relieved Rosales on the mound to begin the fourth inning, as Cervantes hit a chopper to Green at third and was thrown out at first for out number one. Eylar drew a walk and Avaun Garcia singled through the left side, before Flores hit an RBIdouble into the left-center field gap, trimming the lead to, 18-1.

Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to Rosales in right field, that allowed Garcia to tag-up and score from third on a throw home that was dropped at the plate by Bowman, making the score, 18-2. Perez drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Perryton, but Valdez popped up to Bowman behind the plate to end the game, as Littlefield took the contest, 18-2.

Rosales threw three innings for the Wildcats giving up only one hit, while earning three strikeouts. Champion closed the game pitching one inning, giving up two hits, two walks and two runs.