NATURALS WIN BACK-AND-FORTH SEASON OPENER IN SPRINGFIELD

Springfield, MO ­– Across the longest Opening Night in Northwest Arkansas Naturals history, a 3-hour and 55-minute affair, the Naturals pulled ahead with a late rally to beat the Springfield Cardinals 11-8 in Friday’s 2022 season opener.

Northwest Arkansas struck first, scoring two in the first inning on a fielder’s choice and RBI double from Sebastian Rivero. Springfield tied things up in the second and scored in five straight innings, taking an 8-4 lead after six innings.

Seuly Matias collected his first of two hits of the day in the Naturals’ fifth inning, singling home two runs to tie the score at the time at 4-4. Though after the Cardinals struck for three in the sixth, the Naturals stormed ahead and didn’t look back.

10 batters came to the plate in the seventh inning for the Naturals, as Nick Loftin brought home John Rave with a single, then scored on a Matias double. After Rivero and Robbie Glendinning both walked to load the bases, Nate Eaton singled home Matias to push the deficit to one run and Jake Means drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the score at 8-8.

In the eighth, the Naturals surged ahead for good and took the lead for the first time since the second inning. Maikel Garcia walked, Loftin reached on an error and Michael Massey singled Garcia home to give Northwest Arkansas a 9-8 lead. Glendinning added one more run in the eighth when he reached on a fielder’s choice that played Loftin, then in the ninth, Loftin reached on Springfield’s fourth error of the game, scoring Garcia.

While Naturals pitching struggled over the first six innings, Ándres Sotillet shut the door over the final 2.2 innings, retiring all eight batters he faced with one strikeout to earn the win.

Left-hander Anthony Veneziano will make his Double-A debut in game two of the weekend series in Springfield, with a 5:35 p.m. CT first pitch at Hammons Field.