Offensive Explosion Gives Drillers Doubleheader Split with Wichita
TL Tulsa Drillers

Offensive Explosion Gives Drillers Doubleheader Split with Wichita

Published on September 4, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers outfielder Zach Ehrhard rounds the bases
Tulsa Drillers outfielder Zach Ehrhard rounds the bases
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Ed Bailey)

Wichita, KS - In a doubleheader at Wichita on Thursday, the Tulsa Drillers saved all of their offense for the second game. The result was a split of the two games as the teams continue to battle for a spot in the Texas League playoffs.

In the first game, the Drillers matched a season low with only two hits in a 2-0 loss to the Wind Surge. The second game was a completely different story as the Drillers set a season high with 18 hits while recording a 14-5 victory.

The split of the two games allowed the second-place Drillers to maintain their one-game lead over Wichita. With first-half champion Springfield also leading the second half race, the team that finishes in second place in the North Divisions second-half race will receive the second playoff berth from the division.

Pitching dominated the first game with the only offense coming in the first inning. The Wind Surge put together four hits to produce two runs in the bottom half of the first. RBI singles from Ricardo Olivar and Ben Ross provided all the offense they needed to claim the victory.

Zach Ehrhard reached on an infield single leading off the game, and it would be Tulsa's only hit until the seventh and final inning when Kyle Nevin reached on a one-out, infield single.

Drillers starting pitcher Roque Gutierrez allowed seven hits in 3.2 innings, but just the two first-inning runs.

Jerming Rosario did not allow a hit or a run in 2.1 innings in relief of Gutierrez.

Wichita starter Sam Armstrong pitched five shutout innings, and reliever Mike Paredes closed the contest with a pair of scoreless frames.

Tulsa's offense came to life in the second game, and much of the credit belonged to the bottom portion of the order.

Sixth-place hitter Nelson Quiroz opened the second inning with a base hit, and Taylor Young drew a walk. It set up the ninth-place batter, Eduardo Guerrero, who lined a single that plated the first run of the game. A sacrifice fly from leadoff man Zach Ehrhard gave the Drillers a 2-0 lead.

The Wind Surge got the two runs back in the bottom of the third on a pair of solo homers from Maddux Houghton and Kaelen Culpepper.

The Drillers responded with seven straight runs, scoring four in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth.

Quiroz again started the fourth-inning rally with a leadoff single. Base hits from Sean McLain and Guerrero loaded the bases, and Ehrhard promptly emptied them with his third home run since joining the Drillers. The grand slam gave Tulsa a 6-2 lead.

The margin swelled to 9-2 with three more runs in the fifth. Young drew another walk and stole his 38th base of the season to move into scoring position. Guerrero's third hit in four innings brought Young home. After a double by Ehrhard, James Tibbs III drove in both runners with a base hit to right field.

After the Wind Surge scored a third run in the bottom of the fifth, Quiroz singled home Chris Newell, who had doubled, to make the score 10-3.

The Drillers capped their big game with four runs in the seventh and final inning. Griffin Lockwood-Powell plated the first with a run-scoring single, and Quiroz brought home the second with a ground out. Young accounted for the last runs with a two-run double.

The Wind Surge added a pair of consolation runs in the bottom half of the seventh to account for the final score.

INSIDE THE GAME

*The afternoon doubleheader became necessary when the storms that postponed Wednesday's game knocked out a pair of light towers at Equity Bank Park. Crews were working on the lights throughout the doubleheader with the hopes of getting them restored so Friday and Saturday's games can be played in the evening, as scheduled.

*Every player in the game two lineup for the Drillers had at least one hit. Quiroz, Guerrero and Erhard accounted for half of the season-high 18 hits with three hits each. Erhard had five RBI, while Quiroz and Guerrero had two each.

*Newell also had three hits in the second game.

*Jackson Ferris picked up his tenth win of the season in the nightcap. Ferris worked 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out seven. In 12 starts in the second half of the season, Ferris is now 7-1 with a 2.07 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched.

*Rosario's 2.1 shutout innings in the opener also continued his strong second half. The right-hander has a 2.23 ERA in the second half in 23 appearances out of the bullpen. He worked as a starter for most of the first half.

*Erhard's grand slam was the fourth this season for a Tulsa batter. Jose Ramos, Kendall Simmons and Kyle Nevin have also hit grand slams this year.

*Tulsa and Wichita are also battling for this year's Propeller Trophy. After the split, the Wind Surge now lead the Coors Light Propeller Series 11 wins to 10 with 3 games remaining between the two teams this season.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will remain in Wichita and continue their series with the Wind Surge, playing game four of their six-game series on Friday night. Starting time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Equity Bank Park, and the starting pitchers are expected to be:

Tulsa - LHP Luke Fox (1-1, 2.84 ERA)

Wichita - RHP Alejandro Hidalgo (0-3, 11.49 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers outfielder Zach Ehrhard rounds the bases
Tulsa Drillers outfielder Zach Ehrhard rounds the bases
(Ed Bailey)		   



Texas League Stories from September 4, 2025


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