The Levelland Lobos are off to a great start at their tournament in Greenwood as they are 2-0 as of Thursday afternoon.
The played against Midland Classical Academy at 11 a.m. where they won 6-4 after a great second inning and beat Midland Lee JV Silver Rebels 13-6 at 1 p.m.
Levelland 6, Midland Classical Academy 4
For the first game of the tournament the Lobos were able to win the game after having a great second inning propel them to victory.
The first team on the board in the game was Midland Classical as they hit a single on a fly ball to right field to drive in a run making the score 1-0 early.
Levelland answered back great though as Javi Ruiz was walked with bases loaded, scoring one run, Gage Potter scored on a passed ball, and both Ruiz and R.J. Mireles scored on an error by the pitcher flipping the game on it’s head and making the score 4-1 quickly.
Midland Classical didn’t go away easily though as they gave Levelland a scare after they got two runs in the bottom of the third after their batter hit a home run, driving in two runs and making the score 4-3.
The game was quiet the rest of the way up until the seventh inning for both teams.
The Lobos got two more runs in the top of the seventh inning after Gage Potter layed down a sacrifice bunt to drive in a runner, scoring one run and Ruiz is hit by the pitch with bases loaded, making the score 6-3.
The game got very close as the Lobos had two outs, but Classic Academy had bases loaded with their next batter up. Although it looked like a challenge, Levelland made a pitching switch from Boston Winfield to Rance Massey who was able to strike out the batter and secure the first win of the tournament for the Lobos.
Winfield started the game out for the Lobos as he gave upo six hits and four runs (two earned) over six and two-third innings, striking out eight and walking four throughout the game. Massey came in relief for Levelland as he gave up zero hits and zero runs over one-third of an inning striking out one and walking none.
Ruiz led the team with two runs batted in while Noah Tienda and Jake Potter each had two hits for the Lobos in their contest. Mireles led the team in walks with two on the day as they team as a whole had eight in the game. Tienda also had two stolen bases in their matchup.
Levelland 13, Midland Lee
JV 6
For the team’s second game of the day, they had little time to rest as their game started shortly after their first ended. It didn’t matter too much though as they were able to put the Rebels away 13-6 in five innings.
In the top of the first inning, Levelland was the first team on the board making the score 2-0 early.
It didn’t last long though as Midland Lee was able to get four runs in the bottom of the first inning after a batter hit a double, scoring two runs, a batter was walked, scoring one run and the last batter hit a single to third baseman, scoring one run making the score 4-2 quickly.
The Lobos didn’t give up though as Massey was able to hit a single on a fly ball to center field, scoring one run, Mireles hit a single on a fly ball to center field, scoring one run and Ruiz hit a fly out to center field, scoring one run to make the score 5-4, giving Levelland the lead back.
The Rebels were able to tie the game back up in the bottom of the third inning after their batter grounded out to Tienda, driving in one run to make the score 5-5.
In the top of the fourth inning is where the Lobos opened the game up with Tienda bunting, scoring one run, Abram Arteaga hit a single on a fly ball to right field, scoring one run, Gage Potter hit a single on a fly ball to left field, scoring one run, Mireles singled on a hard ground ball to left field, scoring one run and Ruiz grounding out to the third base, scoring one run to make the score 10-5.
The Silver Rebels got their final runs in the bottom of the fourth inning after one batter hit a single, scoring one run and the Lobos committed an error, scoring one run to make the score 10-6.
Levelland closed the game out well as they got their final three runs in the top of the fifth inning after a balk by the pitcher sent Tienda home, scoring one run, Arteaga scored on a wild pitch and Jake Potter singled on a hard ground ball to right field, scoring one run to end the game and make the score 13-6.
Massey earned the win for the Lobos as he gave up 13 hits and seven runs (six earned) over five innings, striking out five and walking three in their contest.
The Lobs had 10 hits in the game with Mireles, Arteaga, Massey and Potter each getting two in their match.
The Levelland Lobos will finished off their tournament on today against Greenwood after playing the Fort Stocktan Panthers on Friday. Updates in Wednesday’s issue.