Lamkin Quality, Roccaforte Homers Twice in Naturals 8-1 Win
TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Lamkin Quality, Roccaforte Homers Twice in Naturals 8-1 Win

Published on May 21, 2026 under Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


AMARILLO, TX - Justin Lamkin threw his first Double-A quality start, tying his career-high in strikeouts with eight, while Carson Roccaforte had his second-career multi-homer game in the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (20-20) 8-1 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles (21-19) Wednesday night at Hodgetown. The two teams continue their series Thursday with a 7:05 PM CT first pitch in Amarillo, TX.

Before Lamkin (1-1) even touched the mound, the Naturals gave him a lead. Roccaforte stepped to the plate and homered on the first pitch of the game, his third leadoff homer of the season, to give NWA a 1-0 lead.

The Nats came back for more in the second with Colton Becker singling home a run and Connor Scott doubling home two more. Canyon Brown joined the action with an RBI double to left, with the Naturals taking a 4-0 edge.

Lamkin set down the first eight hitters he faced before his lone blemish of the night came in the third. The Sod Poodles nine-hitter, Jean Walters, hit a line-drive home run to right, cutting NWA's lead to three.

The lefty finished out the day going 6.0 innings while holding Amarillo to one run and hit, tying a career-high with eight strikeouts.

Roccaforte struck again in the eighth, hitting another solo homer to right, extending the lead to 5-1. Roccaforte's second homer of the night was his 12th of the season, putting him in second place in the Texas League in that category. Daniel Vazquez drove a double to center later in the frame, scoring Sam Kulasingam, while a wild pitch brought in Jorge Alfaro later in the frame.

Brown went deep in the top of the ninth for an insurance run, the backstop's second homer of the season. The Naturals bullpen, with a combined effort from Dennis Colleran Jr., Caden Monke, and Augusto Mendieta, threw the final three innings without allowing a run or a walk to close out the 8-1 victory.

The Naturals and Sod Poodles continue their series on Thursday with a 7:05 PM CT first pitch at Hodgetown. Fans can catch all the action with the "Voice of the Naturals", Shawn Murnin, through the team's radio broadcaster on the MiLB App and www.NWANaturals.com.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from May 21, 2026


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