Sod Poodles Victimized by Long Ball in Big Loss to Wichita
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Sod Poodles Victimized by Long Ball in Big Loss to Wichita

Published on May 7, 2026 under Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, TX -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (15-15) fell to the Wichita Wind Surge (15-15), 19-7, on Thursday at HODGETOWN. The long ball defined the contest, with most coming at the hands of the Wind Surge.

Garrett Spain and the Wind Surge offense was firing on all cylinders to begin the game, as Wichita's right fielder roped the second pitch of the game out of the reach of a leaping Angel Ortiz and over the fence for a leadoff home run. Later in the frame, Billy Amick sent a moonshot 471 feet over the batter's eye for a two-run blast.

Manuel Pena matched the Wind Surge first baseman with his own two-run homer over everything in center field for his 11th of the campaign.

However, Amick padded the Wichita lead in his second at-bat against Ashton Izzi, taking Amarillo's starter deep once again to start the fourth inning. The confines of HODGETOWN continued to struggle to contain the visitors, as the fourth long ball of the night for the Wind Surge came off the bat of Spain to put the Wind Surge up by four.

The Soddies dug into their bullpen for the fifth with Logan Mercado, who was unable to change Amarillo's fortunes. Wichita plated five runners in the frame starting with an RBI single by Amick, which was capped off by a Jake Rucker triple with two men aboard and a two-run shot by Maddux Houghton.

Already with a dozen runs scored and winning by 10, the Wind Surge franchise leader in home runs, Kala'i Rosario, poured it on with the sixth long ball of the contest for the visitors in the sixth. The Sod Poodles traded a run in the frame on Jansel Luis'RBI single, in which Wichita gained right back in the seventh with a solo home run to the opposite field by Rucker.

The Sod Poodles put together a strong two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh as they began a comeback attempt, getting a pair of two-run blasts. The first came off the bat of Pena that landed beyond the left field wall while Luis joined the fun two batters later when he banged a ball off the batter's eye.

Wichita quickly put any dreams of a miraculous come-from-behind victory for Amarillo with three more home runs between the final two frames as they cruised to a 12-run win.

POSTGAME NOTES

HOUSE OF PENA: Manuel Pena extended his lead over the Texas League in home runs with his 11th and 12th of the year...its his second multi-homer game of the season, which he first achieved on April 12...it is the third game with 2+ home runs in his career with the Soddies, becoming the sixth player to join the club.

26 CANDLES: Celebrating his 26th birthday on Thursday was Danny Serretti, who reached base three times on a hit and two walks...he now has a .536 slugging percentage and .824 OPS in four career games when he's made another trip around the sun.

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics

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Texas League Stories from May 7, 2026


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