NATURALS SHUT OUT BY WIND SURGE DESPITE STRONG BULLPEN EFFORT

WICHITA, KS – While the Northwest Arkansas Naturals fell behind early, the bullpen compiled a strong effort, with seven innings of one-run baseball, though a big first inning was too much to overcome, in a 5-0 loss to the Wichita Wind Surge.

Naturals starting pitcher Andrew Hoffmann only lasted one inning, as the right-hander allowed four runs on five hits and a hit by pitch, the first six batters of the inning reaching.

C.J. Eldred took over in the bottom of the second and delivered four scoreless frames, not allowing a walk while striking out three.

Will Klein followed Eldred with two innings scoreless of his own with just one walk and three strikeouts. While left-hander Christian Chamberlain allowed a run to score in the eighth, he retired three straight after putting the first two batters on.

Northwest Arkansas hitters combined for seven hits, including two from first baseman C.J. Alexander. Combined with a couple of walks and a hit batter, all 10 were stranded on, including four of the nine innings where the Naturals stranded two runners on base.

Catcher Tyler Cropley put on a clinic behind home plate, catching two runners stealing, for the first out of the first inning and the final out of the fourth.

Left fielder Tyler Gentry threw out a runner at second base in the first inning for his team-leading ninth outfield assist of the season, while right fielder Seuly Matias recorded his fifth outfield assist of the year to end the fifth inning with a fielder’s choice double play.

Northwest Arkansas will try and jump out ahead in the series Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CT as left-hander T.J. Sikkema takes the mound.