Wind Surge Resist Late Travelers Rally On The Way To Series Victory To End First Half

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge held on to a 3-2 win in the series finale over the Arkansas Travelers. The win secures the series victory for the Wind Surge, who finish the first half as winners of seven of 10. Arkansas needs to watch tonight’s game with Springfield and Corpus Christi to learn whether or not they take the Texas League North Division first half title, with a Cardinals loss giving them the crown.

Four pitches into the matinee, Jake Rucker pulled a solo shot into the wind toward left field and out of the yard for his fifth round-tripper of the season. Arkansas put the tying and go-ahead runners on base after back-to-back walks to begin the last of the fourth before being stranded on corners after Travis Adams retired the next three hitters on a strikeout, fielder’s choice, and a pop out.

Dalton Shuffield brought in Kyler Fedko on an RBI single to center in the top of the fifth for a 2-0 Wichita lead. The knock secured that Shuffield reached base on hits in four of the five games he played this week at Dickey-Stephens Park.

Jeferson Morales would bring home a third Wind Surge run in the form of Luke Keaschall on a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the eighth inning. Ben Williamson would finally get the Travelers on the board on an RBI double off the left field wall with two outs in the bottom half of the frame. One more run scored on a wild pitch, and the tying run reached second before Cody Laweryson ended the inning on a strikeout in a 10-pitch at-bat against Alberto Rodriguez.

Laweryson sent the Travelers down in order on a pair of strikeouts and an unassisted groundout to Aaron Sabato to end the game for his first save of the season. Adams improved to 4-5 in 2024 with the win after throwing five one-hit innings with three walks and seven strikeouts as the Wichita starter.

The Wind Surge open their second half schedule at Riverfront Stadium against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Tuesday, June 25, with a 7:05 PM first pitch on Two for Tuesday. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, windsurge.com, or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com.