Soddies Erase Seven-Run Deficit, But Fall To Riders In Extras

AMARILLO, TX (June 26, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-3, 37-35) fell to the Frisco RoughRiders (3-1, 42-30), 9-8, in 10 innings on Friday night at HODGETOWN. After finding themselves down seven runs in the fifth inning, the Soddies fought all the way back to tie the game, but were then overtaken in the extra frame.

After working the count full in the game’s first at-bat, Evan Carter began his rehab assignment with a bang, launching a solo homer to lead things off, giving Frisco the early lead. The Soddies were retired in order in the opening frame and the RoughRiders capitalized, using Max Wagner’s first homer of the night to extend the visitor’s advantage.

Not much would occur following the third baseman’s blast until Wagner punched another ball beyond the left field fence for his second dinger of the night. They would continue the scoring spree to plate three total in the inning, using a fielder’s choice that yielded a run and an Arturo Disla double off the center field wall to give the visitors a five-run advantage after the top of the fourth.

Frisco would slug another pair of homers in the subsequent frame, beginning with Ian Moller’s solo round-tripper and Wagner’s third shot of the evening.

Amarillo was able to eat into the deficit in home half of the fifth however, as the Soddies had two aboard with one out and Cristofer Torin at the dish. On a 2-2 pitch, the shortstop lined one the other way, just clearing the right field fence to put the home squad on the board.

Each of the first two Sod Poodles reached base to open the sixth, but it looked as if Frisco was going to escape the jam unscathed. That was until Junior Franco stepped up to the plate and lined a double to the opposite field to plate two and bring the Amarillo run total to five. They tacked on one more on a bases loaded walk in Demetrio Crisantes’ plate appearance as the Soddies left the sixth only trailing by one.

With the lone run still being the difference in the bottom of the ninth and one away, Gavin Conticello connected with the first pitch he saw, tying the game with a solo home run to make it a brand new ballgame and send it to extras.

Gavin Conticello’s first HR at HODGETOWN was a clutch one 😤#SoddiesSummer pic.twitter.com/Z5mSC8dSOW

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) June 27, 2026

Frisco opened the 10th with a pair of knocks that scratched two runs, leaving work to do for the Sod Poodles in the home half. Two outs were quickly recorded in Amarillo’s final turn at-bat, but they were able to rally, beginning with Franco’s knock through the right side of the infield that brought home a run.

Torin kept the line moving with a single and a stolen base, representing the winning run. It would be Zach Bryant however who would outlast the Soddies in the make-or-break moment with two outs as he struck out Anderdson Rojas, and Amarillo were defeated, 9-8.

POSTGAME NOTES

GRAN TORIN-O: Extending his hit streak to eight games this evening with a two-hit performance was Cristofer Torin...four of his most recent eight games have included multi-hit efforts.

BAKER STREET: Tossing 3.1 perfect innings out of the bullpen tonight was Alec Baker...he is the first reliever in Soddies history to post 3.1 innings or more out of the bullpen without allowing a baserunner...it is the first such occurrence in the Texas League this year and the first relief outing in the league of 3.1 or more perfect innings since Ryan Ramsey did so for Northwest Arkansas on June 19, 2025 against the Sod Poodles.