Giesting Shines in Soddies First Win

SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 6, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-2) defeated the San Antonio Missions (2-1), 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium. Strong pitching and a couple of extra-base hits propelled the Sod Poodles to their first victory of the year.

In his return to Amarillo, Spencer Giesting spun two scoreless innings to open play this afternoon, striking out three batters over his first two frames.

With two Sod Poodles aboard in the top of the third, right fielder Jack Hurley lined a double down the left field line to bring a run across to give the Sod Poodles the lead. Christian Cerda followed it up with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the second Amarillo run in the inning.

Stepping up to the dish for his third plate appearance in the fifth was Gavin Conticello, who launched a two-run blast to right-center field, the first Amarillo home run of the season, extending the Sod Poodles lead to four.

Giesting trotted back out for his fifth inning of work, collecting his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the afternoon to keep the Missions off the board, bringing an end to his outing on the hill.

San Antonio made things interesting in their final turn at bat, plating three runs in the bottom of the ninth by way of a pair of RBI singles off the bats of Romeo Sanabria and Ethan Salas, but Alfred Morillo was able to induce a 4-6-3 double play to secure the first Sod Poodles win of 2025, a 4-3 victory to salvage the series.

The Sod Poodles make their 2025 debut at HODGETOWN on Tuesday night with first pitch against Springfield scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in the Amarillo home opener. Neither side has announced a starter.

POSTGAME NOTES

STING LIKE A GEE: Taking the ball for the Sod Poodles this afternoon was Spencer Giesting, who tossed five shutout innings, earning the win...struck out five batters, allowing three hits and no free passes...dating back to August 21 of last year, Giesting has now struck out at least five batters in six consecutive starts...it is the first time in his Sod Poodles career that he has pitched at least five innings without allowing a run.

MELLOW-CELLO: Checking in with the first Sod Poodles home run of 2025 was Gavin Conticello, who hit a two-run bomb in the fifth inning...the blast was his first homer at the Double-A level and the 30th of his Minor League career.

IT TAKES TWO: By scoring a pair of runs in the third and fifth innings of today’s games, it marks the fifth time in the first three games of the season that the Sod Poodles scored twice in a frame...every Sod Poodles run scored this season has been part of a two-run inning.