BOWLAN RETURNS TO THE MOUND, BUT WIND SURGE WIN 10-2

WICHITA, KS – After taking an early lead in the first inning, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals soon fell behind to the Wichita Wind Surge, dropping Thursday’s game at Riverfront Stadium 10-2.

The first three batters of the game all recorded hits for Northwest Arkansas – a single from Tucker Bradley, double from Nick Loftin and RBI single from Logan Porter. From that point forward, however, Wichita starter Sawyer Gipson-Long retired 20 of the next 21 batters he faced, cruising through seven innings.

Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan made his return to the Naturals and began the night with a 1-2-3 first inning and had thrown just 20 pitches through two innings of one-run baseball. However, the Wind Surge struck for three runs on a home run to take the lead in the third, then knocked Bowlan out of the game in the fourth.

After the two-run first for the Naturals, Wind Surge hitters combined to score 10 unanswered runs off of Northwest Arkansas pitching – Bowlan, Walter Pennington, Jonah Dipoto and Stephen Woods Jr.. In total, the staff combined to allow the 10 runs on 10 hits and 10 walks, the fifth straight game with at least eight walks issued.

Over the final eight innings, the Naturals could only muster two hits, a single in the third inning from Bradley and an eighth-inning double by Jake Means.

Northwest Arkansas will try to bounce back Friday at 7:05 p.m. CT as Anthony Veneziano makes the start for the Naturals.