Mule vs. Littlefield Baseball (3-28-2015)

Mule vs. Littlefield Baseball (3-28-2015)

Adversity dealt the Mule baseball team a cruel blow this past week just as the district portion of the season started. The Mules were 8-2 on the season and hosted the Littlefield Wildcats in the first game of District 2-3A competition.

With many of the Mules playing out of their normal positions the Wildcats sneaked away from the Mules 11-5.

Wes Clarkson hit the first Wildcat batter with the second pitch he threw. He struck out the next batter but the runner stole second base and then went to third on a passed ball. While pitching to the third batter Clarkson stepped back off the rubber and threw to Danny Campos at third base.

The runner had taken too much lead and Campos applied the tag for the second out. But three base hits and an error allowed three runs to cross before the final out. Clarkson tracked down a high pop foul between home and first base for the third out.

Braden Bessire drew a walk to lead off for the Mules. Grey Johnson’s sacrifice bunt moved Bessire to second base and he went to third on a throwing error by the pitcher attempting to pick him off of second base.

Nathan Rejino hit a soft tap back to the pitcher and the first baseman could not handle the throw and Bessire scored to cut the lead to 3-1 after one inning.

Clarkson struck out the first two batters he faced in the top of the second inning. The third batter grounded out to Jason Florez at shortstop. Florez scooped up the ball and threw a strike to Triston Boehning at first base for the third out.

Clarkson was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the second inning but was forced out on a fielder’s choice when Campos hit a ground ball to the first baseman. Florez lined a single down the right field line to put Mules on the corners. Florez went to second on defensive indifference.

Pancho Elizalde loaded the bases with a slow roller just out of the reach of the pitcher. Bessire bunted back to the pitcher but he could not handle the ball and Campos scored. Johnson dropped a soft tap on the infield between the pitcher and second baseman to sacrifice Florez across the plate.

Rejino slapped a base hit to left field to score Elizalde and the Mules led 4-3 after two innings.

Littlefield tied the game in the top of the third inning with a single and a pair of sacrifice bunts. The Mules went in order in the bottom of the third inning.

A lead-off base hit and a sacrifice put the runner at second base. A ground ball single to left field was chased down by Johnson. The Wildcat at second attempted to score but Johnson reached the ball as the runner rounded third. Johnson threw home to Bessire for the tag and the second out.

A second base hit scored a run to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead.

An error by the Wildcat shortstop allowed Campos to reach first base. He stole second base and scored on a double to fence in left field by Bessire. Bessire stole third base and appeared to have stolen home but was called out by called out by a surprised home plate umpire.

The Mules had tied the game at 5-5 but could generate no more runs.

Littlefield added two runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth.

The Mules traveled to Dimmitt Tuesday to play the Bobcats and then will host the Friona Chieftains Friday at noon.