NATURALS CAN'T KEEP PACE, FALL 12-7

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX ­– The Northwest Arkansas Naturals exploded early Saturday night, but the Corpus Christi Hooks surged ahead in the middle innings, as the Naturals fell for the fourth time this week, 12-7 to the Hooks.

Each time the Naturals scored, Corpus Christi had a counter from the very first inning. Northwest Arkansas' first three batters reached and two runs scored, on an RBI single from Tyler Gentry and a wild pitch that brought across Nick Loftin.

After the Hooks scored twice in the bottom of the first, CJ Alexander and Jake Means hit back-to-back home runs, the third time the Naturals have done so this year, and Alexander's first hit with the Naturals, snapping an 0-for-12 start to the week.

Corpus Christi scored three in the bottom of the second, but the Naturals responded with three in the third to re-take the lead, on an RBI double from Logan Porter and two-run single from Alexander for a 7-5 lead.

The remainder of the game was all Corpus Christi, as the Hooks scored seven unanswered runs, including a five-run fourth that knocked starter Noah Murdock out of the game.

Zach Haake allowed two runs over the next 1.2 innings, then Christian Chamberlain fired 2.0 innings of one-run ball with a pair of strikeouts, before Jonah Dipoto pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Tucker Bradley, Loftin and Alexander each recorded two hits, with eight of nine Naturals in the starting lineup recording a hit and six players that scored a run.

Northwest Arkansas will try and salvage the series Sunday at 5:05 p.m. CT as Dante Biasi returns to the mound agains the Hooks.