Groover Tallies Another Multi-Hit Effort In Soddies Victory
AMARILLO, TX (August 28, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (66-57) defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (61-62), 5-3, on Thursday night at HODGETOWN. The Soddies stay hot in the Second Half, bringing their magic number to eight as they inch closer to a postseason berth. The Amarillo sticks came to
AMARILLO, TX (August 28, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (66-57) defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (61-62), 5-3, on Thursday night at HODGETOWN. The Soddies stay hot in the Second Half, bringing their magic number to eight as they inch closer to a postseason berth.
The Amarillo sticks came to play early as LuJames Groover doubled down the left field line to bring home the first run of the ballgame in the opening frame. The third baseman would score on Ben McLaughlin’s single through the right side to give Amarillo an early two-run advantage.
Northwest Arkansas scratched a run in the top of the third as a result of a double play. Amarillo earned the run back in the home half of the fourth on a Jack Hurley knock to left, scoring McLaughlin. Jean Walters later bunted for a base hit to bring home another, making it a 4-1 game.
The Naturals looked to have started a rally in the sixth, but Jose Fernandez completed a relay throw from Hurley on Spencer Nivens’ double to cut down a run at the plate to keep the three-run Amarillo lead intact.
Groover checked in with his second RBI of the night in the bottom of the seventh with a single to right. Adonys Perez trotted back out in the eighth with 2.2 innings of relief under his belt and was the beneficiary of a 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam. Julio E. Rodriguez launched a two-run blast in the ninth, but Amarillo held on for the 5-3 win, their 400th in club history.
The series continues tomorrow with RHP Daniel Eagen (0-0, 0.00) and LHP Hunter Patteson (3-0, 3.86) scheduled to start.
POSTGAME NOTES
A MYTHIC DEBUT: Appearing for the first time as a Soddie tonight was Adonys Perez...his 3.2 innings out of the bullpen are tied for the longest relief outing in a Sod Poodles debut and is the second Soddie reliever this year to go at least three innings in their Amarillo debut (Casey Anderson, July 24).
FORTUNE 400: Tonight’s victory is the 400th win in Sod Poodle history, bringing their all-time record to 400-393 (.504)...Amarillo is four wins away from clinching their third winning season in club history.