Wildcats hold on against Dimmitt, 11-7

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team took down the Dimmitt Bobcats at home on Saturday, 11-7, in non-district play.

Jose Medina ripped a lead-off triple to right field on an error by Gabe Montalvo, but Isaiah Rodriguez got Edwin Macias to strike out looking for out number one. Lopez singled to right-center field to drive in the games first run, and he took second on a past ball, before Juan Anima drew a walk to give the Bobcats a runner.

GaQuorie Chatham hit a chopper to Ian Mendez at shortstop, who got the lead runner at third for out number two, but the runners advanced on a past ball, before Jorge Pena hit a two-RBI single up the middle. He took second on the throw home and third on the throw into right-center field by Armando Ramon, making the score, 3-0. Pena tried to score on a short past ball, but Ramon flipped it to Rodriguez covering the plate for the out to retire the side.

Rodriguez took first on a catcher’s interference call to lead off for the Wildcats and he took second on a past ball, before Mendez singled to left field to put runners on the corners for Littlefield. Mendez took second on a pitch and Rodriguez scored on a past ball, as Mendez advanced to third with the score cut to, 3-1.

Green drew a walk and Mendez scored on the play, as the ball got behind Anima behind the plate, trimming the lead to, 3-2. Green took second on a pitch, befrore Brenden Bowman ripped an RBIdouble over the head of the center fielder to tie the game, 3-3. Markus Rosalas hit an RBI-single up the middle to put the Wildcats in front, 4-3, and Elijah Salazar followed it up with a double to the left-field fence.

Rosalas scored on a past ball, as Salazar advanced to third on the play, stretching the lead to, 53, and Ramon drew a walk, as Ja’Den Williams came on as the courtesy runner putting runners on the corners for Littlefield. Macias relieved Mario Lopez on the mound for Dimmitt, as he got Montalvo to strike out looking for out number one, and he got Adam MacDonald to strike out swinging for out number two. Rodriguez grounded out to Lopez at shortstop to end the inning.

Rodriguez got the Bobcats to go three-up-and-three down in the top of the second inning, as Daegan Robertson was tagged out on a dropped third strike by Ramon, Isaiah Sifutes struck out swinging and Jaden Rodriguez struck out swinging to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the second inning, Mendez doubled down the third-base line to lead things off, and Green singled on an error by Lopez up the middle, moving Mendez to third on the play. Bowman drew a walk to load the bases, but Rosales hit into a fielder’s choice to Robertson at second base, who got the force out at second, but no cover at first allowed Rosales to reach base safely, as the run scored to make the score, 6-3.

Salazar popped up to shallow right field, but the ball was dropped on the dive by Robertson for an RBI, pushing their lead to, 7-3. A balk by Macias put runners on second and third, before Ramon hit an RBI-single on an error by Lopez at shortstop, stretching the lead to, 8-3. Salazar was tagged out in a rundown between second and third, but Ramon made it to second on the play, however, Montalvo struck out swinging to end the inning.

In the top of the third, Medina grounded out to Mendez up the middle for out number one, but Macias drew a walk, and Lopez singled through the left side, before the runners stole on a pitch, as Anima struck out swinging for out number two. Chatham ripped and RBI-double down the thirdbase line, but the relay home from Green to Mendez to Ramon got the out the out at the plate to retire the side with the score cut to, 8-4.

MacDonald opened the bottom half of the third with an infield single to Anima at third, beating out a high throw to first. Rodriguez dropped a bleeder into right-center field and Mendez followed it up with an RBI-single to left-center field, stretching the lead to, 94. Green hit into a fielder’s choice to Anima at third base, who stepped on his bag for out number one.

Bowman ripped a two-RBI single to Anima at third, but the throw to second was missed by Robertson, making the score, 114. Rosalas and Salazar would pop out to end the inning.

Dimmitt added one run in the fourth inning, a run in the fifth inning and a run in the seventh inning, but the Wildcats were able to hold on for the victory, 11-7.

Rodriguez tossed four innings for the Wildcats, giving up five runs and three walks, while earning six strike outs. Green pitched three innings in relief duty, giving up two runs, while earning three strike outs.