Bobcats end season in Littlefield

The Olton Mustangs swept the Smyer Bobcats 11-10 Thursday and 6-4 Friday to take the best of three UIL Class 2A Bi-District High School Baseball series in Littlefield.

Game1

Game one of the series went to Olton, 11-10.

Olton opened game one with a seven run first inning off Smyer’s Kaden Price. Olton’s Logan Lassiter hit a one-out single to center field, followed by a walk to Adolfo Garcia, which brought Cole Montgomery to the plate.

Montgomery reached on an error at first base, and advanced to third, bringing Lassiter and Garcia home. Paul Lopez was up next and hit a short hop that was unplayable at either base for an RBI single.

A single from Brennan Huguley put runners on first and second with only one out and the Bobcats trailing 3-0.

Eric Valencia walked to load the bases, prompting a pitching change from Smyer head coach Luke Vedder, who brought Shawn Barrett to the mound.

Lopez stole home while Barrett was facing Jaxon Tomsu, who walked the bases loaded again. Jacob Marquez hit into a fielder’s choice and the Bobcats got Huguley out at home.

Brody Langford walked, bringing another run home for a 50 Olton lead. That brought Lassiter back up, who hit a two RBI double and a 7-0 lead for the Mustangs.

Garcia struck out to end the inning.

Alan Vasquez started on the mound for the Mustangs and issued a walk to Smyer’s Austin Martinez to start the bottom of the first inning.

A single from Colton Burris advanced Austin Martinez to second base, then another single from Barrett loaded the bases with no outs.

Aiden Martinez walked, bringing Austin Martinez home and keeping the bases loaded with no outs.

A single from Caleb Clausen brought Burris home. Price popped foul, but it was caught at first base for one out with the Bobcats trailing 7-2. That brought Ben Steele up, who hit a double to deep center field. Barrett scored, but Aiden Martinez was out at home.

Brody Medart hit a single to deep right field, bringing Clausen and Steele home to cut the Olton lead to 7-5 with two outs.

Skyler Pond was the last batter of the inning with a short hop right to first base and no chance to run it out.

The Mustangs added a run in the top of the second inning when Valencia hit a two out single that brought Montgomery home from second base for an 8-5 lead.

The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the second inning with a run of their own.

A two out triple from Aiden Martinez brought Barrett home to make the score 8-6 Olton.

Olton extended their lead to 10-6 in the top of the third inning. A one out double from Lassiter brought Fabian Gutierrez home and advanced Langford to third base.

Langford scored next when Garcia hit into a 1-3 fielder’s choice – pitcher Barrett to first base Steele – for a 10-6 lead. Olton loaded the bases again, but Huguley hit into another 1-3 fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Smyer cut the Olton lead to 10-8 in the bottom of the third inning. Lopez, pitching in relief for Olton, walked Price and Steele, so the Mustangs brought Huguley to the mound.

A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, then he hit Medart with a pitch to load the bases. Pond walked to bring Price home.

Another pitching change from Olton brought Lassiter to the mound. He gave up an RBI single to Austin Martinez before striking out Burris and getting Barrett to hit into a double play.

That’s where things stayed until the bottom of the sixth inning. Smyer’s Aiden Martinez hit a one out double, followed by an RBI double from Clausen, who advanced to third base on the throw.

Price went down swinging, then an error at first gave Steele a double and brought Clausen, the tying run, home.

Olton got the winning run off a sacrifice fly from Montgomery that brought Lassiter home in the top of the seventh inning.

The Bobcats threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning with runners on first and second and two out. Olton’s Langford, however, finished the game by striking out Aiden Martinez swinging.

Game2

In game two, held on just enough to beat the Bobcats and win the series, 6-4 Game two on Friday was not as high scoring, but it had its own excitement.

Olton’s Vasquez started on the mound and pitched six scoreless innings.

Olton got three runs on Kaden Price in the bottom of the first inning off a three run homer from Lopez with two outs.

That’s where the score stayed until the bottom of the sixth inning.

Clausen, on the mound in relief, walked Lassiter, followed by a single from Garcia.

The Mustangs put Tomsu in to run for Garcia. Montgomery hit a double that brought Lassiter home and put Tomsu on third base.

An intentional walk to Lopez loaded the bases with Huguley coming up. Huguley walked, scoring Tomsu.

Olton scored another run when Valencia was hit by a pitch, prompting Vedder to bring Aiden Martinez to the mound.

Martinez got Gutierrez looking, then Marquez hit into a fielder’s choice and the Bobcats got Ozzy Rodriguez, running for Lopez, out at home and Langford struck out to retire the side with the Mustangs leading 6-0.

The Bobcats weren’t done, though. Olton brought Langford to the mound to close the game. He hit Barrett with a pitch, then Aiden Martinez reached on a dropped infield fly.

A triple from Clausen brought Barrett and Aiden Martinez home to cut the Olton lead to 6-2. Price flied out to shortstop.

Clausen scored on a wild pitch to Steele, then Steele reached on a dropped third strike. Medart walked and Pond loaded the bases on another dropped third strike.

Langford walked Austin Martinez, bringing Steele home from third.

Burriss hit into a fielder’s choice and Medart was out at home. Barrett was the final out, going down looking.