Early Scoring Spoils Sunday Finale for Amarillo
June 29, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (34-41) fell to the Arkansas Travelers (39-36), 8-5, on Sunday evening at HODGETOWN. The Travelers scored six over their first three innings, pacing them to the series victory in the opening set of the second half.
Arkansas started tonight's scoring, plating two runs with two outs in the first half inning. Four consecutive hits, highlighted by Lazaro Montes' and Nick Raposo's RBI singles made it 2-0 Travelers.
Amarillo knotted things up immediately with a two-run frame of their own. Manuel Pena hit a double to deep right-center field and Tommy Troy followed with a walk. Both came around on Ryan Waldschmidt 's two-run single into left.
A second inning solo shot by Josh Hood put the Travelers back in front by a 3-2 advantage. Arkansas added three more in the top of the third to take a 6-2 lead into the bottom half.
One-out base hits from LuJames Groover and Gavin Conticello sent Jose Fernandez to the plate. The shortstop collected his team-leading 37 RBI, driving home Groover to make it 6-3.
Following the first 1-2-3 frame of the day, Amarillo got their second two-RBI knock of the game in the fourth inning off Groover's bat. The third baseman brought around Ivan Melendez and Pena to cut the deficit to one at 6-5 Travelers.
Both bullpens traded zeroes through the middle third of this evening's proceedings, highlighted by Luke Albright 's two scoreless frames.
Arkansas added insurance in the eighth inning using a sacrifice fly and run-scoring double to grow their lead to 8-5.
The Travelers retired the final five Sod Poodles in the game to complete the 8-5 victory and secure their first series win of the second half.
Amarillo hits the road for a three-game set against the Midland RockHounds that starts Tuesday night. Neither side has named a probable starter for the scheduled 7:00 p.m. first pitch.
POSTGAME NOTES
MANNY MANIA: Securing his fourth straight multi-hit ledger tonight was Manuel Pena ...the designated hitter went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk in the series finale....is the second Soddie to accomplish the feat in 2025 since Tommy Troy did so between May 28 and June 1.
SCHMIDT'S CREEK: With his first-inning two-run single, Ryan Waldschmidt collected his fourth and fifth RBI at the Double-A level...the 93rd prospect in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 finished his first series in Amarillo with five total hits and his first Double-A longball.
INCREDIBLE IVAN: First baseman Ivan Melendez went 10-for-19 over five games played to begin the second half...he secured four multi-hit efforts against Arkansas this week and tallied a double, homer and a 1.308 OPS to start the second half.
Texas League Stories from June 29, 2025
- Travs Take Series in Amarillo with Sunday Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Early Scoring Spoils Sunday Finale for Amarillo - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Wind Surge Storm Back in Eighth to Defeat Cardinals - Wichita Wind Surge
- Cardinals Drop Finale, Series to Wichita - Springfield Cardinals
- Late Run for Midland Forces Series-Split - San Antonio Missions
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