Double Trouble Powers Naturals Past Sod Poodles

SPRINGDALE, AR (June 17, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (27-37) fell to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (33-31), 7-1, on Tuesday night at Arvest Ballpark. A multitude of extra-base hits digs early hole for Amarillo, tabbing the Soddies with the series opening loss against the Texas League North foe.

The Naturals would get to work early, scratching a run in the bottom of the first on a Carter Jensen double to put themselves in the lead. Back-to-back two-baggers were collected in the first as Brett Squires picked up the second of the two doubles, bringing the second run of the inning across for Northwest Arkansas.

After Kristian Robinson swiped his second bag of the game in the top of the third, Manuel Pena checked in with a double to center, bringing the center fielder around to plate the first run of the evening for the Sod Poodles, cutting the deficit in half.

Northwest Arkansas extended their advantage in the home half of the fifth after a Diego Hernandez triple to right. Rudy Martin drove in Hernandez on a sac fly for the 4-1 Naturals lead.

Jensen struck again with another RBI double in the seventh, bringing two Northwest Arkansas runners across to extend the Naturals’ advantage to five runs. An inning later, Spencer Nivens touched home on a groundout to cap the scoring for the home team. The Sod Poodles were unable to create any sort of response in their final turn at-bat, falling to the Naturals by a 7-1 score.

The Sod Poodles look to bounce back tomorrow night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. against Northwest Arkansas. Amarillo will send RHP Logan Clayton (0-2, 14.66) to the hill while LHP Hunter Owen (3-2, 4.50) will toe the rubber for the Naturals.

POSTGAME NOTES

HERE’S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON: Stealing two bases tonight was Kristian Robinson as the center fielder went 2-for-5 with a run to go along with the two stolen bags...his third game with two stolen bases this year...he is now tied for fourth in the Texas League with 19 stolen bases this season...in Sod Poodles history, he is tied for the second-most stolen bases in the team’s first 64 games, matching Ryan Bliss (2023) and Nick Dalesandro (2022).