Soddies Stumble in Sunday Series Finale
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Soddies Stumble in Sunday Series Finale

August 3, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (52-50) fell to the Wichita Wind Surge (54-48), 16-8, on Sunday evening at HODGETOWN. Playing as the Calf Fries, Amarillo stumbled in the ninth as Wichita scored 10 runs in the top half to salvage the series finale.

Shortstop Jose Fernandez got the scoring started in the second as he barreled a solo shot 421 feet over the left center wall for his 11th home run of the season.

Wichita responded in the third with back-to-back homers to left field to take a 3-1 advantage. Ricardo Olivar hit his 13th longball in 2025, before Hendry Mendez launched his first Double-A homer.

Manuel Pena got one of those runs back for Amarillo in the bottom half with a solo blast to right field and his fourth homer of the series. After Ryan Waldschmidt walked and stole second, LuJames Groover drove him home with a double, his 100th hit of the year, to tie the game back up at three apiece.

Both teams scratched a run across in the fourth. Wichita got a sacrifice fly, while Amarillo managed their third longball of the day, off the bat of Double-A debutant Ben McLaughlin. The Golden, Colo., native sent a 2-2 pitch beyond the left field fence for his first hit in an Amarillo uniform.

Amarillo scored in their fourth straight inning to take a 6-4 lead in the fifth. Waldschmidt hit a ringing RBI double 105 mph off the wall, before scoring on Groover's bloop single.

The Wind Surge made it 6-5 on a solo shot into the berm off the bat of Rubel Cespedes in the fifth, despite a leaping attempt from right fielder Jack Hurley.

In the seventh, two hits and a throwing error allowed Wichita to tie the game at six going to the stretch.

McLaughlin singled with one out in the eighth to secure his first two-hit effort at Double-A. He advanced to second on a groundout, bringing up Caleb Roberts. On a 1-1 pitch, the Rocket delivered a two-run blast to give Amarillo a 8-6 lead going into the ninth inning.

Down two, Wichita put up 10 runs in the top of the ninth using eight hits and two walks. They would head to the bottom of the ninth with a 16-8 advantage.

The visitors held the Soddies off the board to complete the victory in the series finale.

Following an off day, Amarillo heads to rival Midland on Tuesday to start a six-game set. Neither side has named a probable starter for the 6:30 p.m first pitch.

POSTGAME NOTES

BIG BEN BLAST: Amarillo's newest addition Ben McLaughlin made his Double-A debut today going 2-for-4...his fourth inning solo shot made him the ninth Soddie to have his first hit with the club be a home run and the first since Sheng-Ping Chen did so exactly two years ago today (August 3, 2023 vs. Corpus Christi)...became the fifth player to have at least two hits and a home run in his Amarillo debut.

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics



Texas League Stories from August 3, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central