Ninth Inning Rally Sets Back Soddies

AMARILLO, TX (April 9, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-4) fell to the Springfield Cardinals (4-1), 10-9, on Wednesday night at HODGETOWN. A Sod Poodle six-run fourth inning came up for naught after timely late inning hitting by the Cardinals.

For the second straight night, the Cardinals got the scoring started, scoring twice in the opening stanza. A pair of doubles in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fourth pushed Springfield to an early 4-0 lead.

A six-run frame that brought nine Soddies to the plate erased the four-run deficit. The first four batters reached, with Jose Fernandez recording an RBI walk with the bases loaded. Caleb Roberts added another run on an RBI groundout before Kristian Robinson left the park to push Amarillo out in front 5-4. The Soddies weren’t done in the frame, as Tommy Troy launched his first Double-A homer out to left-center two batters later for a 6-4 Amarillo advantage.

Three singles earned Springfield a run in the sixth inning to narrow the deficit to 6-5 before the Cardinals used a two-run triple and RBI single in the seventh to take an 8-6 lead.

Amarillo again answered back in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs in the frame. Troy grabbed his second RBI and third hit of the night to cut the Cardinals’ lead to one. Later in the inning, Christian Cerda’s clutch go-ahead, two-RBI base hit gave the Soddies the 9-8 lead.

In the ninth, Springfield shifted momentum with a game-tying RBI single and a go-ahead sacrifice fly to grab the lead again at 10-9 and send the game to the bottom half. Amarillo put the tying and go-ahead runs on in the ninth but could not bring them home, securing the victory for Springfield.

The series continues with game three on Thursday at HODGETOWN, as Amarillo and Springfield are set for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. RHP Dylan Ray (0-1, 10.80) and LHP Ixan Henderson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) are expected to start for the Soddies and Cardinals, respectively.

POSTGAME NOTES

HALF A DOZEN: The Sod Poodles put together a six-run fourth inning in today’s contest, erasing a four-run deficit in the process...Amarillo most recently accomplished this feat last season in a home game on August 8 against Northwest Arkansas in the seventh inning.

MULTI-HIT MADNESS: A quintet of Amarillo hitters recorded multi-hit nights on Wednesday, with Andy Weber, LuJames Groover, Jack Hurley, and Kristian Robinson each notching at least two hits with Tommy Troy adding three hits to his ledger...the five multi-hit performances are the most by the Sod Poodles in a single game this season.

EXTRA, EXTRA: As a team, the Soddies tallied four extra base hits (2 2B, 2 HR) in tonight’s game...tied a single-game high for Amarillo, also achieved on April 8 against Springfield.

TOMMY BOY: Tommy Troy put together a solid performance at the dish, racking up a 3-for-5 showing...Arizona’s eighth-rated prospect had two singles, drove in two runs and recorded his first Double-A home run.