Wildcats rally back to slay tigers, 9-7

The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team rallied past the Slaton Tigers last Tuesday night, 9-7, to take the home non-district match-up.

CJ Anzley got the Tigers going in the top of the first inning, with a lead- off double over Isaiah Rodriguez at second base, that got past Elijah Salazar in right field. Jakob Garcia was thrown out at first by Brenden Bowman, on a dropped third strike, as Anzley moved over to third with one out.

John Bernal singled off of the glove of Rodriguez at second base on the diving attempt to drive in the games first run, but he was thrown out at second base by Markus Rosales. Ian Mendez was there for the tag for out number two, as the Tigers took a, 1-0 lead. Xavier Lopez singled on an error by Chip Green at third base and Chris Garcia drew a walk, before Zane Funderburk struck out looking to retire the side.

Major McNeese led off the bottom half of the inning for the Wildcats with a double to the right-center field fence and Mendez followed it up with an RBI-single through the left side to tie the game, 1-1. Rodriguez hit a sacrifice chopper to Funderburk on the mound, who got the out at first, as Mendez advanced to second on the play.

Bowman, though chopped out to the left side for out number two and Green lined out to Abram Bernal in left field to end the inning.

A defensive battle ensued, with neither team wanting to give up the lead, until the bottom of the fourth when the Wildcats came to the plate. Bowman struck out swinging for out number one, but Green singled through the left side and stole second on a bad pick to first by Funderburk and he took third on a past ball, before Rosales drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Littlefield.

Salazar hit into a fielder’s choice up the middle, as the Tigers got the force out at second, but the ball was bobbled on the transfer allowing Green to score, putting Littlefield in front, 2-1. Gabe Montalvo drew a walk and Javen Jimenez singled up the middle to drive in a run, stretching their lead to, 3-1. McNeese lined out to Chris Garcia at first base to end the inning.

Jakob Garcia was tagged out by Armando Ramon at the plate on a dropped third strike to begin the fifth inning, but Bernal singled up the middle and Xavier Lopez singled over Salazar in right field, as Jayden Garcia came on as the courtesy runner for the catcher. Chris Garcia ripped an RBI-double past Adam MacDonald at first base to cut the lead to, 3-2, and Funderburk drew a walk to load the bases for Slaton.

Ryland Keith drew an RBI-walk to tie the game, 3-3, as McNeese was relieved on the mound by Mendez with one out.

Chris Garcia scored on a wild pitch to put the Tigers in front, 43, but Mendez got Bernal to strike out swinging for out number two. Jacob Lopez hit an RBI-double off of the glove of McNeese in center field to stretch the lead to, 6-3, and Anzley followed it up with an RBIsingle to right-center field, making the score, 7-3.

Jakob Garcia had a single fall in shallow center field that was missed on a diving attempt by McNeese, putting runners on the corners for Slaton, but Mendez got Bernal to pop up to Salazar behind first base to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Mendez lined out to Bernal in left field for out number one, but Rodriguez hit a ground-rule double to left field and Bowman ripped an RBI-double to the leftcenter field fence, as Ja’Den Williams came on as the pinch runner for Littlefield with the lead cut to, 7-4.

Green popped up to Jakob Garcia in shallow right field, as the ball was dropped to give the Wildcats another runner. Rosales singled through the left side to load the bases for Littlefield, as Funderburk was relieved by Trak Crow on the mound for Slaton. Salazar hit into a fielder’s choice to Bernal, who got the out at home to stop the run from scoring for out number two.

Green scored on a past ball to cut the lead to, 7-5, and Ramon walked to reload the bases for Littlefield, before Jimenez grounded into a fielder’s choice to Kieth at second base, who got the force out at second to end the inning.

The Wildcat defense kept the Tigers quiet in the top of the sixth, after a lead-off single to left field by Xavier Lopez. Mendez got Chris Garcia to fly outt o McNeese in center field for out number one. Funderburk popped up to Salazar at second base for out number two and Kieth laid down a swinging bunt that was fielded by Mendez and thrown to first for the out to retire the side.

McNeese flew out to Bernal in left field to begin the bottom half of the sixth, but Mendez singled on a throwing error by Kieth at shortstop to put a runner on for Littlefield. Rodriguez flew out to Bernal in deep left field for out number two, but Bowman singled on an error by Jakob Garcia at second base and Green walked to load the bases. Rosales drew an RBIwalk to make it a one-run game, 76, and Salazar followed it up with an RBI-single on an error by Kieth at shortstop to tie the game, 7-7.

Ramon and Jimenez drew backto- back RBI walks to put the Wildcats in front, 9-7, before McNeese chopped out to Chris Garcia at first base to end the inning.

The Wildcats recorded two quick outs in the top of the seventh, as Bernal grounded out to Salazar at second base, and Jacob Lopez struck out swinging for out number two. Anzley was hit by a pitch to give the Tigers hope, but Jakob Garcia grounded out to Salazar at second base to end the game, as the Wildcats completed the comeback win, 9-7.

McNeese pitched 4.1 innings for the Wildcats, six runs and six walks, while earning five strike outs. Mendez closed out the final 2.2 innings, earning three punch outs, while giving up just one run.