Back-And-Forth Battle Ends In Naturals Walk-Off Over Soddies

SPRINGDALE, AR (April 11, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-7) fell to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (6-2), 5-4, Saturday night at Arvest Ballpark. A tight game went the way of the hosts as they walked off Amarillo in the bottom of the ninth.

Five hitters were set down on strikes to open play as both starting pitchers worked three-up, three-down innings in the inaugural frame. The Sod Poodles had traffic on the basepaths to begin the second, but Felix Arronde stranded the runners while picking up his fifth strikeout of the night on his way to retiring the side.

Northwest Arkansas also threatened in the second after Brett Squires drew ball four to open the home half, but was gunned down at third by center fielder Junior Franco after Squires successfully stole second base and attempted to advance on the errant throw from the Amarillo catcher.

The Nats got to work in the home half of the third, using a leadoff walk, an infield single, and a pair of stolen bases to set the table for Omar Hernandez who lined one up the middle to scratch two runs and give Northwest Arkansas the lead.

The Soddies answered in the fourth after a two-out walk by Danny Serretti - his second of the night - brought the tying run to the dish in Manuel Pena. The left-handed hitting third baseman launched the first pitch he saw to right-center to tie the game at two apiece. Responding quickly were the Naturals in the bottom of the fourth using a Jack Pineda RBI single to put the home squad back in front by a run.

When the sixth rolled around, Ben McLaughlin paid the price to earn a trip to first base after being hit by a pitch and scored on Serretti’s two-run blast to left to give Amarillo their first lead of the night, 4-3. The Naturals once again equalized in the home half, scratching a run on a passed ball.

The bullpen duo of Alfred Morillo and Landon Sims held the Naturals bats at bay in the seventh and eighth innings, but after Northwest Arkansas loaded the bases in the ninth, Dustin Dickerson clutched up with his first knock of the night being the game winner, a single over the head of Franco in center to give the Naturals the 5-4 walk-off win.

Amarillo is back in action tomorrow afternoon for the series finale against the Naturals at Arvest Ballpark. RHP Jose Cabrera and RHP Drew Beam will each make their second starts of the series.

POSTGAME NOTES

PENA COLADA: Hitting his team-leading third home run of the season this evening was Manuel Pena...it is only the fourth home run of his Double-A career he has hit on the road...three of those four long balls have been hit at Arvest Ballpark, including the pair hit in his only two-homer game with the Sod Poodles on 6/20/25 in Springdale.

YES SERRETTI: Reaching base three times and slugging his second dinger of the year tonight was Danny Serretti...it is the first time a Sod Poodle has hit a home run and drawn at least two walks since 8/27/25 in a game against the Naturals at HODGETOWN, a feat accomplished only six times last season.