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TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Hill Perfect into the Sixth in Amarillo Defeat

June 13, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


Frisco, Texas - The Sod Poodles dropped their fourth consecutive game Thursday night, despite a great start from Jamison Hill. Amarillo once again outhit the Frisco RoughRiders and only allowed four hits, but they came at the most inopportune times.

Jamison Hill retired the first 16 Frisco batters, carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning before allowing two home runs in the frame. Tim Tawa and Matt Beaty combined for five of the six Amarillo hits and both hit home runs. Tawa's first of three hits was a two-run blast that jumpstarted Amarillo in the top of the first.

The Sod Poodles got off to a rapid start in this one when Tim Tawa hit a two-run home run to drive in Matt Beaty, who had singled right before. Tawa's 12th long ball leads the team. That was all they would get, sending Jamison Hill out to the mound with a two-run lead. Hill had no trouble keeping it. He got three straight flyouts to send the game to the second.

Ivan Melendez jumped on a pitch and ripped a double to left field to get the Soddies going. Kevin Graham struck out before J.J. D'Orazio smoked a line drive, but unfortunately, it was right at the second baseman. A groundout would keep Amarillo off the board. Once again, Hill retired the side in order, while picking up his first strikeout.

The Soddies would get what would be their last run of the game in the top of the third inning. It came via a one-out solo home run by Matt Beaty, his first in a Sod Poodles uniform. Tawa would record his second hit but end the inning by getting picked off at first. The bottom of the third couldn't have gone much better for Hill. He struck out all three batters he faced. No RoughRider had reached base the first time through the order.

The Soddies went down 1-2-3 to start the middle frames but Hill continued to shine. He faced the top of the Frisco order and got all three batters out, including his fifth strikeout of the night.

Another uneventful inning of at-bats for the Soddies added two more strikeouts to Frisco pitcher, Ben Anderson's line. Hill showed no signs of slowing down as he continued to mow down Frisco batters. He retired the side in order once again.

The top of the sixth saw a pitching change from the RoughRiders, who brought in Steven Jennings. Tim Tawa continued his stellar outing, knocking a single to left field for his third hit in as many plate appearances. That was the only baserunner allowed by Jennings in the frame. Hill struck out Abimelec Ortiz for his sixth strikeout of the game to start the inning. He would then walk Frainyer Chavez which ended his perfect game bid with one out in the sixth inning. Things turned quickly, as Cooper Johnson ended the no-hitter on the very next pitch, smacking a no-doubter over the left field wall. Hill would get the next batter to ground out before allowing a solo shot to Liam Hicks. The ball barely snuck out near the right-field foul pole, and Kristian Robinson came within inches of robbing it. Just like that, the score was tied 3-3.

The Soddies would look to get their lead back in the top of the seventh, but had no such luck. They were retired in order. Francisco Morales came in to replace Hill, whose day was done after six quality innings. Morales walked a batter in the inning, but got three groundouts to keep the game tied going into the eighth.

A pitching change didn't change the Sod Poodles' fortune, as their only baserunner of the inning came on a Matt Beaty, two-out walk. Tim Tawa struck out swinging to end the inning, which was the first time he had gotten out in the contest. Frisco put Morales in danger early as the inning was opened with a double by Frainyer Chavez, who beat Robinson's throw by a hair. Morales struck out the next batter before walking the third batter of the inning. A flyout to deep centerfield allowed both runners to move up one base. A huge moment in the game was building with two runners in scoring position with as many outs. Cody Freeman lined a base hit between third and short to score the go-ahead runs. Jake Rice came in to get the final out but the damage had been done. The Soddies trailed by two going into the ninth.

Caleb Roberts started the inning with a walk to bring the tying run up to the plate. Vukovich flew out to deep centerfield and Melendez flew out to right. Kevin Graham was the final hope for Amarillo but a pop-up to second secured a 5-3 victory for Frisco.

Amarillo will look to get back on track as they take on the RoughRiders Friday night in Frisco at 7:05 P.M.

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