Four-Run Fifth Too Much for Amarillo to Overcome

April 17, 2024 – Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release

Amarillo, Texas – The Sod Poodles dropped game two of the series on Wednesday night at HODGETOWN. Springfield seized momentum with a four-run top of the fifth and held on to even the series with a 5-1 win.

Starters Yu-Min Lin and Alex Cornwell didn’t allow a baserunner through the first two innings. Springfield’s Jeremy Rivas picked up the game’s first hit with a double off Lin in the third but was immediately doubled off on a sharply hit liner to Logan Warmoth. The Sod Poodles shortstop then led off the home half of the third with a single for Amarillo’s first hit of the night. It was the first of three straight singles that helped catapult Amarillo into a 1-0 lead. Lyle Lin delivered the RBI in his first plate appearance of the season.

After getting each of the first two batters on in the bottom of the fourth the Sod Poodles failed to push a run across with a force out and double play ending the threat.

Six Springfield hits came against Yu-Min Lin in the top of the fifth and led to four runs. After inducing a pop fly for the second out of the inning, Lin’s night came to an end with Jake Rice taking over and inheriting a pair of Cardinal runners. A walk to the first man he faced loaded the bases but the left-hander ended the inning by getting the Springfield cleanup hitter to roll over to second base.

The second double play hit into by Amarillo ended another scoring opportunity after a one-out walk and single had Sod Poodles on the corners in the fifth. Rice then navigated around a two-out Springfield single with his second strikeout of his outing to close the top of the sixth.

Consecutive walks to start the home half of the inning were followed by three straight outs, keeping Amarillo’s deficit at 4-1.

With Logan Clayton on the mound replacing Rice, an Amarillo error, hit by pitch, walk, and two wild pitches in the inning gave Springfield a 5-1 lead. Lyle Lin was plunked with two gone in the bottom of the seventh to help him reach base in each of his three plate appearances for the season. Wilderd Patino singled to keep the inning alive. Tim Tawa then ambushed the first pitch he saw but the ball hung up just long enough for Springfield’s Nathan Church to track it down in shallow center field to keep it at a four-run Amarillo deficit.

Clayton worked a much more efficient eighth inning as he retired the side in order. Unfortunately for Amarillo, they fell victim to the same fate. After getting…