Bats Fall Silent in Amarillo Loss
April 5, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
SAN ANTONIO, TX -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (0-2) fell to the San Antonio Missions (2-0), 8-2, on Saturday Night at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium. A strong opening to the game failed to hold, resulting in the second straight loss for the Sod Poodles.
The bats were alive and well early in the contest as the Soddies struck first via an RBI groundout off the stick of Gavin Conticello in the top of the first. Amarillo further extended their lead in the opening frame after Jack Hurley knocked in a run with a single through the left side of the infield to give the Sod Poodles the 2-0 advantage.
It would not take long for the Missions to respond, as a two-run shot from Brandon Valenzuela evened the score in the home half of the frame. Back-to-back homers from Moisés Gómez and Marcos Castañon put San Antonio in the lead by the end of the first inning.
San Antonio would plate two more in the second and another pair in the fifth to extend their lead to six. Coming out of the bullpen with two shutdown innings to limit the damage was Zane Russell, punching out six in his Amarillo debut, striking out the side in order in the seventh.
The Amarillo bullpen would hold strong, keeping the San Antonio run total to eight. In the eighth, the Sod Poodles had opportunities with the bases full, but were unable to scratch any runs, eventually falling to the Missions by an 8-2 score.
The Sod Poodles wrap up the opening series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch against San Antonio scheduled for 1:05 p.m. with LHP Spencer Giesting (0-0, 0.00) scheduled to toe the rubber against RHP Braden Nett (0-0, 0.00).
POSTGAME NOTES
IT TAKES TWO: By scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame in tonight's contest, it marks the third time in the first two games of the season that the Sod Poodles scored twice in a frame...every Sod Poodles run scored this season has been part of a two-run inning.
AMA-ZANE: Making his debut for the Sod Poodles out of the bullpen tonight was Zane Russell, who fanned Moisés Gómez for his first career Double-A strikeout and would go on to strike out the side in the sixth...of his 41 games out of the bullpen last year, he struck out the side only twice (April 21, August 8), but fanned 48 batters over 37.1 innings for High-A Hillsboro...with six strikeouts in his two innings of relief he sets a new career single-game high in punchouts, eclipsing his previous mark of five from August 16, 2023 while pitching for Low-A Visalia.
TOMMY TWO-BAGS: Collecting his first Double-A hit of his career was Tommy Troy who checked in with a hustle double in his first plate appearance in the opening frame...it was the only extra-base hit of the night for the Soddies...Troy collected 16 doubles across two levels a season ago.
• Discuss this story on the Texas League message board...
Texas League Stories from April 5, 2025
- Homer Fiesta Propels Missions to Opening Series Win - San Antonio Missions
- Large Second Lifts RoughRiders - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Bats Fall Silent in Amarillo Loss - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Drillers Drop Second Straight to the Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Wind Surge Come up Short on Opening Night in Springfield - Wichita Wind Surge
- Springfield Cruises to Chilly Opening Day Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Middle Game at Midland Postponed - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Hoodie Giveaway and Osage Tribal Night Postponed - Tulsa Drillers
- Hooks Open at Home Tuesday Night - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cross' Four Hits, Squires' Big Homer Lift Naturals to Come-From-Behind Win in Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Josh Jung Scheduled to Rehab in Frisco - Frisco RoughRiders
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
