Wildcats fall to Denver City in extras, 7-6

The Littlefield Wildcats’s varsity baseball team traveled to Denver City on Tuesday for their first meeting with the Mustangs, dropping the contests in extra innings, 7-6.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 9-7 overall, 2-1 in district play.

The game remained, 0-0, until the bottom of the second inning, when the Mustangs came back up to the plate. Miles Riley led things off with a double to left-center field, but Isaiah Rodriguez got Daniel Ceniceros to strike out swinging, but he reached base safely on a past ball, putting runners on the corners for the Mustangs. Daniel Gonzalez ripped an RBI-single past Ian Mendez at shortstop to break the tie and put Denver City in front, 1-0.

Daniel Vasquez drew a walk to load the bases and Gavin Garcia hit a sacrifice grounder to Bradyn Redman at second base, who got the out at first as another run scored to stretch the lead to, 2-0, with one out. Jonathan Rodriguez hit a sacrifice chopper to Redman at second base, who got the out at first as another run scored and Garcia advanced to third, making the score, 3-0, with two outs.

Johnathan Martinez hit an RBIsingle down the third-base line to push their lead to, 4-0; and he took second on a pitch, before Samrey Garcia flew out to Markus Rosales in right field to end the inning.

Rodriguez led off the top of the third for the Wildcats with a single to left-center field and he took second on a balk by Ceniceros, before Adam MacDonald hit a slow roller to third, beating the throw to first, as Rodriguez advanced to third on a delayed steal, putting runners on the corners for Littlefield.

Major McNeese hit a sacrifice fly ball to left-center field, allowing Rodriguez to tag-up and score from third, trimming the lead to, 41, with one out. Brenden Bowman singled to left-center field, bringing Ja’Den Williams on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. MacDonald took third and Williams advanced to second on a double steal, before Mendez chopped out to Martinez at first for out number two.

Redman drew a walk to load the bases for Littlefield, but they would be stranded, as Chip Green popped up to Martinez behind second base to retire the side.

Rodriguez and the Wildcat defense made quick work of the Mustangs in the home-half of the third, as Jacen Yanez grounded out to Mendez at shortstop and Riley flew out to McNeese in right-center field for out number two. Ceniceros singled on an error by Mendez at shortstop, but Gonzalez flew out to McNeese in center field to end the inning.

The Wildcats picked up where they left off offensively to begin the fourth inning, as Gabriel Villanueva drew a walk to lead things off and Rosales followed it up with a bunt to third that was bobbled by Vasquez, putting two runners on for the Wildcats. Rodriguez hit a chopper up the middle that was missed over the bag by Rodriguez to load the bases, but MacDonald popped up to Riley at first base for an infield fly for out number one.

McNeese ripped a two-RBI single down the first-base line to cut the lead to, 4-3, but he was thrown out digging for second for out number two. Bowman followed it up with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game, 4-4, as Williams came on as the courtesy runner. Mendez singled up through the left side and Redman was awarded first base on a catcher’s interference call, puttin Williams on third, but Green would chop out to Vasquez on the left side to end the inning.

The Wildcats got the Mustangs to go three-up-and-three-down in the bottom half of the fourth, as Vasquez struck out looking for out number one, Garcia flew out to McNeese in right-center field and Rodriguez chopped out to Redman at second base to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Villanueva struck out swinging to lead things off, but Rosales drew a walk to give Littlefield a base runner, however a few plays later he was tagged out in a rundown between first and second for out number two. Rodriguez hit a grounder deep in the hole to Martinez at shortstop and beat the throw to first, as Xavier Champion came on as the courtesy runner for the pitcher.

MacDonald hit a grounder to Vasquez at third, but a high throw to first left runners on the corners for Littlefield with two outs. McNeese knocked an RBI-single through the right side, to push their lead to, 5-4, and Bowman singled past first to load the bases, but Mendez struck out looking to end the inning.

In the home-half of the fifth, Martinez drew a lead-off walk for the Mustangs, but a few plays later he was picked off at second by Rodriguez; Mendez was there for the tag for out number one. Samrey Garcia popped up to Green on the left side and Yanez grounded out to Green at third to end the inning.

Riley relieved Ceniceros on the mound for Denver City to begin the sixth inning, as he got Redman to fly out to center field for out number one. Green doubled over the right fielder to give the Wildcats a base runner and stole third on a past ball, beforeVillanueva grounded out to Rodriguez at second base for out number two. Rosales singled on an error by Rodriguez at second base, as Green scored to push their lead to, 6-4, but Rodriguez struck out swinging to retire the side.

The Mustangs responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Riley hit a line drive past Green at third to give Denver City a runner. Ceniceros flew out to Gabe Montalvo in left field for out number one and Gonzalez grounded into a fielder’s choice to Redman at second base, who got the force out at second for out number two.

Camden Huse laced an RBIdouble over Montalvo in left field to cut the lead to, 6-5, before Gavin Garcia chopped out to Green at third to end the inning.

Denver City would quiet the Wildcat’s bats in the top of the seventh, before Yanez ripped an RBI-single into right-center field to tie the game, 6-6, forcing extra innings.

Both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the ninth, when Gavin Garcia drew a walk and Rodriguez singled up the middle for the Mustangs. Martinez flew out to Montalvo in center field for out number one, but Samrey Garcia walked it off with an RBI-single to right field, as Littlefield fell to Denver City on the road, 7-6, in extra innings.

Rodriguez threw six innings for the Wildcatas, giving up six hits, two walks and five runs, two earned, while earning two strikeouts. McNeese pitched 2.1 innings, giving up three hits, two walks and two runs, one earned, while earning one strikeout.

The Wildcats hosted Lamesa on Saturday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a non-district game against Morton.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.