Soddies Falter in Late Comeback Attempt
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Soddies Falter in Late Comeback Attempt

Published on August 29, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, TX -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (66-58) fell to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (62-62), 8-7, on Friday night at HODGETOWN. Five home runs were hit between both sides, but the Naturals evened the series at two games apiece, fending off a Sod Poodle comeback attempt.

Javier Vaz led off the game with a home run to give Northwest Arkansas the early lead. Amarillo quickly equalized with Manuel Pena singling and later scoring on a fielder's choice to knot the game at one by the end of the first.

A chaotic fourth inning yielded three runs for the Naturals as they scratched their trio on a fielder's choice, a wild pitch, and an errant throw that skipped into center field on a stolen base attempt. Northwest Arkansas tallied two more in the top of the fifth with Carson Roccaforte homering to lead off the frame and Gavin Cross scoring on Spencer Nivens' single to right to take a 6-1 lead.

Pena reached again in the fifth via a base knock and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. A Vaz sac fly put another tick in the run column in the sixth, but Gavin Logan responded for the Soddies in the home half as he launched a two-run bomb to left-center. The scoring frenzy continued on into the seventh as Nivens collected another RBI and Amarillo posted another two-spot with a Pena solo shot and Ryan Waldschmidt scoring on an error.

Jean Walters slugged a solo homer down the right field line to pull Amarillo within a run, but the Soddies late-scoring would halt there, falling to the Naturals by an 8-7 score.

The series continues tomorrow with LHP Avery Short (2-4, 3.12) and LHP Oscar Rayo (3-5, 4.24) scheduled to start.

POSTGAME NOTES

MANNY MANIA: With three hits tonight, Manuel Pena is slashing .388/.411/.690/1.101 over 26 games at HODGETOWN (since June 26), tallying 2+ hits in 17 of those 26 contests.

WHERE'S WALDY: Center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt has reached base safely in 23 straight games after collecting a hit and a pair of walks this evening, the longest streak on the team this season...his two stolen bases tonight gives him 12 for the month, ranking second amongst Texas Leaguers in August.

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 29, 2025


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