The Sod Poodles dropped the series opener to the Tulsa Drillers by a final score of 9-2 in front of 4,839 at HODGETOWN. Hudson Potts led the Sod Poodles offensively with his 2-for-5 performance with an RBI. Soddies starter Jesse Scholtens tossed five innings and struck out nine batters but picked up the loss in his 19th start of the season. Amarillo remains two games up on Midland in the second half South Division standings.
Tulsa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning as a pair of singles by Donovan Casey and Jordan Procyshen started off the inning. After Sod Poodles starter Scholtens retired the next two batters, Drew Avans and Omar Estevez both collected RBI singles. The final run of the inning came as Avans scored on a wild pitch.
In the fifth inning, the Sod Poodles cut the Drillers lead to 3-1. Taylor Trammell led off the inning with a single followed by an Ivan Castillo hit by pitch. Owen Miller then singled through the hole at shortstop to load the bases for Luis Torrens. Torrens lined out to third base for the first out of the inning. With the bases still loaded, Hudson Potts hit an RBI infield single to third base. The inning came to an end following Kyle Overstreet's fly out and Buddy Reed's strikeout looking.
The Drillers extended their lead in the sixth inning, plating four runs on four hits. Tulsa opened the inning with a pair of singles from Casey and Jordan Procyshen. Errol Robinson then roped an RBI single to center field. Pinch hitter Jared Walker followed with a three-run home run to right field to give Tulsa the 7-1 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Tulsa extended their lead yet again when Connor Wong hit a solo home run to left-center field to stretch their lead to 8-1. Then in the bottom of the inning, Amarillo responded with one run of their own. Torrens worked a leadoff walk followed by a Potts double to left-center field. Overstreet then laced an RBI single to left field to make the score 8-2.
The Drillers added an insurance run on in the eighth inning when Robinson singled to start the inning. Avans walked and was followed by an Estevez RBI singled to left field to take a 9-2 lead.
In the ninth inning, Amarillo looked for a monster comeback but went down in order as they dropped game one of their four-game series with the Drillers by a final score of 9-2.
The Sod Poodles continue their eight-game homestand Tuesday against Tulsa. First pitch for Tuesday night’s game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
-Amarillo Sod Poodles
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