Soddies Overcome Naturals to Split Series in Springdale

Springdale, Arkansas (April 23, 2023) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles topped the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 6-2, and split their series on Sunday afternoon. The six-game series finale saw an explosive afternoon at the plate for the Soddies that was backed up by an exceptional day on the bump by Amarillo's pitching staff.

The Sod Poodles got their opportunity to score early in the second inning. Three straight walks loaded the bases for Jonathan Guzman who capitalized and roped an RBI-single into left field to score A.J. Vukovich, followed by a passed ball on the Naturals catcher to plate another Soddie. A hard-hit chopper to the right side of the infield from Roby Enriquez brought home Tim Tawa and raised the stakes to 3-0 in Amarillo's favor.

The Soddies got off to a hot start in the top of the third with a Deyvison De Los Santos lead-off base hit that was smoked into right field, however, the club was not able to secure his return home.

The Story of the 4th inning would follow the same script. Juan Centeno registered a lead-off frozen rope into center field but watched three outs be recorded before being able to cross the dish.

The Naturals were able to secure their first XBH of the afternoon in the form of a lead-off double to begin the home frame of the fourth. A player collision on a ground ball rendered SS Jordan Lawlar unable to record the final out of the inning, which was followed by a walk to load the bases with two outs for the Naturals. However, Deyni Olivero remained calm and held the Naturals to a goose egg to keep the shutout alive through the fourth.

Northwest Arkansas returned in the fifth with a lead-off base hit that was strung-together by an RBI-single in shallow right field to plate the first Natural of the contest.

RHP Deyni Olivero came out of the game in the middle of fifth, producing a stellar 4.2 innings of work while allowing just one earned on six hits and three walks. LHP Andrew Saalfrank answered the call and closed out the frame with a swinging strikeout on his first batter of the contest.

The Soddies continued to keep the bats alive in the seventh. Amarillo logged a lead-off knock in the top of the inning off the bat of Enriquez with De Los Santos trailing with a line drive to right field, his second hit of the contest, to put Soddies on the corners with two outs. However, a well-executed two-five-two put out on a double steal cut down Amarillo's would-be fourth run of the ball game, closing out the frame with no damage done to NW Arkansas.

Saalfrank was pulled in the bottom of the seventh, producing a phenomenal 2.0 scoreless innings of relief while punching out three naturals. This was Saalfrank's second consecutive scoreless appearance having tossed 2.0 innings with no runs scored in his last appearance in game three of this series, striking out five Naturals in that contest.

Amarillo did not take their foot off of the gas pedal at the plate. Vukovich found his stride in the eighth and earned a lead-off base hit which he followed up with a swiped bag. A fly ball to the warning track from Adrian Del Castillo was enough to bring Vukovich to third with just one out.

Tawa didn't let this moment go to waste, plastering a ball into the gap for a stand-up double, scoring Vukovich in the process and widening their lead to 4-1. Centeno lifted a ball into the outfield and plated Tawa, the final act for NW Arkansas' third reliever of the contest, calling on bullpen arm number four with Jonathan Guzman at-bat.

Guzman was able to keep the ball on the ground, transforming Centeno into a scoring threat with two outs. However, Amarillo was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, leaving the inning with a four run lead on the Naturals.

A solo home run in the eighth inning brought the Naturals within three runs of tying the ball game. However, that would be all of the damage received as the eighth came to a close, shortening Amarillo's lead to 5-2.

English answered the Naturals' solo shot with one of his own, sending a ball over the wall in the top of the ninth inning.

LHP Kyle Backhus closed out the game with a hitless ninth while serving one punch out, securing the series split for Amarillo.

The Soddies return on Tuesday at HODGETOWN for their second homestand of the season and their first versus Frisco. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

BETTER CALL SAALFRANK: LHP Andrew Saalfrank tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief while scattering two hits and serving three punchies. This was Saalfrank's second consecutive scoreless outing, having held the Naturals scoreless in game three of the series across 2.0 innings while punching out five of six batters faced...Saalfrank currently holds the third lowest ERA (1.80) among relievers in Amarillo who have at least four games played while sharing the crown for punch outs with 12.

DOS DE LOS SANTOS: 3B Deyvison De Los Santos went 2-for-5 in the win. De Los Santos has knocked in seven of his first 13 games this season while producing four multi-hit performances, all of the two-hit variety while posting the club's third most total bases (12) and tying for first in two-baggers (2) this season.

JUAN WILL THEY LEARN: C Juan Centeno went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Centeno's multi-hit performance is good for his fourth in nine games played this season and is slashing .281/.343/.375 while tying fourth, among players with at least five games played, for the least strikeouts on the club with six.

I LOVE ENGLISH CLASS: 1B Tristin English went 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks, an RBI and a run scored. English effectively extended his on-base streak to 11 games and matched the club-best this season which was posted by SS Jordan Lawlar. Across the Texas League this season, English currently sits at tied second in long balls (4), tied third in SLG (.684), tied fifth in XBH (7) and overall sixth place in OPS (1.110).