Sod Poodles Win Sunday Home Finale
May 11, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (16-17) defeated the Tulsa Drillers (14-19), 6-1, on Sunday afternoon at HODGETOWN. A four-run fifth and 4.2 innings of scoreless relief fueled the Sod Poodles to their third straight series victory and first Sunday home win.
Tulsa scored first on a fielder's choice and took a 1-0 lead in the second. Amarillo manufactured a run to tie the game in the bottom half after Gavin Conticello 's leadoff double. Christian Cerda laid down a sacrifice bunt before Jose Fernandez ' productive at-bat to score Conticello.
Pitching took center stage in the middle frames, with Avery Short and Tulsa starter Jackson Ferris going toe-to-toe and keeping the score even at one.
With two runners on in the fifth, Amarillo called on Zach Barnes, who punched out the two batters he faced to help the Soddies escape the inning.
The Sod Poodles went to work in the fifth, scoring four in the frame. Caleb Roberts scored to break the tie on an Ivan Melendez single. After a Manuel Pena base hit, Kristian Robinson added two more runs with a double into the left-center gap to push the advantage to 4-1. On the next pitch, LuJames Groover lined a single up the middle for a 5-1 lead to chase Ferris from the game.
Barnes gave way to Luke Albright, who continued a scoreless effort from the Sod Poodle 'pen.
Groover added his second RBI single of the game, driving home Pena for a 6-1 Amarillo advantage.
Albright completed his second scoreless frame in the eighth, finishing with four strikeouts. Landon Sims closed out the ballgame for Amarillo on a game-ending 6-4-3 double play to complete the series finale.
Amarillo heads out on their longest road trip of the season, a 12-game stretch to Springfield, Mo., and Corpus Christi, Texas. After Monday's off day, the Sod Poodles will begin a six-game set Tuesday against the Springfield Cardinals with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
POSTGAME NOTES
TROY STORY: A fourth-inning infield single extended Tommy Troy 's hit streak to nine games...is hitting .367 (11-for-30) with three doubles, six RBI and a .486 OBP over that span...he is amidst his second streak of nine games or longer on the season after logging a 13-gamer in April...this is the longest active streak on the team and tied for the longest active streak in the Texas League.
FANTASTIC FOUR: Amarillo's four-run fifth marked the third four-run frame of the season and is the first occurrence at home...joins the first inning on April 18 at Frisco and the fifth inning on May 2 at Midland...the Soddies managed five hits in the frame, tied for most in a single inning this season.
ROCKET MAN: Outfielder Caleb Roberts pushed his current hit streak to eight games, tying his previous career high....both streaks have occurred as a Sod Poodle, with his first coming from July 30 - August 9, 2023... is batting .281 (9-for-32) with two doubles over the eight-game span.
THIRD STRAIGHT: Sunday's win secured Amarillo's third straight series victory, the first occurrence since the Soddies won the final three series of 2023 (vs. Midland, at Arkansas, vs. Frisco).
Texas League Stories from May 11, 2025
- Hounds Secure Series Sweep - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers Lose Series Finale to Amarillo - Tulsa Drillers
- Caden Monke Throws Two Shutout Innings in Naturals' Fourth-Straight Loss - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Wind Surge Win Fourth Straight Game, Take Series over Naturals - Wichita Wind Surge
- Sod Poodles Win Sunday Home Finale - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Homers Power Travs Past Cards - Arkansas Travelers
- Springfield Settles for Series Split in North Little Rock - Springfield Cardinals
- Late Homer Drops Riders in Series Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
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