Cross' Four Hits, Squires' Big Homer Lift Naturals to Come-From-Behind Win in Tulsa

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TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Cross' Four Hits, Squires' Big Homer Lift Naturals to Come-From-Behind Win in Tulsa

April 5, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


TULSA, OKLAHOMA - After trailing by nine runs entering the eighth inning, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (1-0) mounted a massive comeback late to take down the Tulsa Drillers (0-1) on Friday evening at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Nats put up 10 runs in the eighth inning, winning 12-11 on Opening Day while Brett Squires blasted his first homer of the year and Gavin Cross posted a four-hit night.

NWA took the lead in the first inning when Cross started the game off with a double to right. Carter Jensen singled to move Cross over and Royals number-one prospect, Jac Caglianone, lifted a sacrifice fly to left, allowing Cross to score. The lead was short-lived, as the Drillers plated four against NWA starter Steven Zobac to take the lead with a cushion.

Tulsa added to their lead throughout the night, extending it to nine at one point, while their starter, Jackson Ferris, struck out seven in his 4.1 innings. The Drillers' bullpen held it down but the Naturals' offense finally broke through in the eighth.

Fifteen hitters came to the plate in the eighth, totaling eight hits while compounding four errors in the frame to yield 10 runs and a lead for NWA. Connor Scott started off the inning against Tulsa reliever Jose Rodriguez to set the table. Two errors on the play allowed Scott to score on a little league home run, and after Dustin Dickerson earned a walk Gavin Cross singled (his fourth hit of the game).

First baseman Jac Caglianone got to the plate and stroked a single to left-center, driving in his second RBI of the night while moving Cross to third. Spencer Nivens lifted a sac fly to the outfield that allowed Cross to score and Squires struck the very next at-bat, blasting a 440-foot homer to right in a full count to make it an 11-7 game. The Drillers brought in left Kelvin Bautista and Jack Pineda rudely greeted him with a double with Peyton Wilson on after he was hit by a pitch, and Scott doubled to score them both to make it a two-run game. Dickerson walked and Cross beat out a throw from second for his fourth hit of the night to load the bases.

Carter Jensen came through with a huge hit in the next at-bat. The lefty got jammed and split his bat in two, but hit a slow-roller to third. Jensen raced to first, but Drillers third baseman Taylor Young's throw to first skipped in and bounced off John Rhodes' glove, allowing Scott and Dickerson to score to tie the game. Luca Wepf came on in relief and Calianone reached on an error, scoring Cross again to give the Naturals a one-run lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Ryan Hendrix came out of the bullpen to strike out the side and Brandon Johnson got a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to seal a victory for NWA, with the Naturals locking in a 12-11 win on Opening Day.

The Naturals and Drillers continue their three-game series in Tulsa on Saturday with a 7:00 PM first pitch. RHP Ethan Bosacker (0-0, 0.00) makes his Double-A debut.

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