Drillers Fall to Wichita in Opener of Crucial Series
TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Fall to Wichita in Opener of Crucial Series

Published on September 3, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers pitcher Livan Reinoso
Tulsa Drillers pitcher Livan Reinoso
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Ed Bailey)

Wichita, KS - An important six-game series that will have a role in determining the final playoff spot in the Texas League North Division began on Tuesday night at Wichita's Equity Bank Park. The Tulsa Drillers entered the night with a two-game lead over the Wichita Wind Surge for the final playoff spot with just 12 games remaining in the regular season. The series got off to a tough start for the Drillers as they dropped a game in the standings after Wichita used a big eight-run, third inning to hand them a 12-2 defeat. The loss snapped Tulsa's four-game winning streak.

The Drillers lead for that final playoff spot shrunk to just 1 game over the Wind Surge with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

The Drillers began the night by working the first run across in the third inning. Taylor Young opened the inning with a single and advanced to third base on a balk and by tagging up on a fly ball to center field. A passed ball by Wichita catcher Andrew Cosetti on Zach Ehrhard's strikeout allowed Young to slide home safely and give Tulsa a 1-0 lead.

The game was decided when the Wind Surge answered with eight runs in the bottom of the third. Tulsa starting pitcher Patrick Copen struggled with his command by issuing four walks in the inning, but the defense also committed two errors. The eight runs scored on a single, two bases-loaded walks, a sacrifice fly and Jake Rucker's grand slam.

Tulsa scored its second run in the fourth when Kyle Nevin hit a solo home run to make the score 8-2.

Ben Ross doubled in the fifth to drive Nate Baez home from first base for Wichita's ninth run.

The Wind Surge's tenth run came in the sixth on Kaelen Culpepper's solo home run.

The two final runs came in the eighth inning when Kala'i Rosario hit a two-run homer.

INSIDE THE GAME

*The loss also put the Drillers behind 9-10 in this year's Coors Light Propeller Series. The winner of the series this week will be presented with the Propeller Trophy. If the two teams split the series, whoever wins the final game played will win the trophy.

*Tulsa lost despite out-hitting Wichita 9-6.

*Nevin's home run was his fourth with the Drillers.

*Jeisson Cabrera was the lone Tulsa pitcher to not allow a run as he pitched a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts.

*The Drillers stranded 12 runners on base and finished 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. They left the bases loaded twice.

*Griffin Lockwood-Powell finished 0-2 with a pair of walks to end his nine-game hitting streak. With the walks, Lockwood-Powell extended his on-base streak to 17 straight games.

*Copen's difficult night finished with one out in the third inning, and he was charged with six earned runs on two hits and six walks. The loss dropped his Double-A record to 1-5.

*Ehrhard swiped another base on Tuesday and has now stolen ten bases in his last 11 games.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will continue their series in Wichita against the Wind Surge on Wednesday night at Equity Bank Park. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

Tulsa - RHP Roque Gutierrez (2-1, 6.39 ERA)

Wichita - RHP Sam Armstrong (1-1, 5.40 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers pitcher Livan Reinoso
Tulsa Drillers pitcher Livan Reinoso
(Ed Bailey)		   



Texas League Stories from September 3, 2025


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