Soddies Skid Continues At HODGETOWN

AMARILLO, TX (April 10, 2025) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (1-5) fell to the Springfield Cardinals (5-1), 8-4, on Thursday night at HODGETOWN. Strong performances from multiple Sod Poodle bats were not enough as Amarillo drops their third straight game to the Cardinals.

The Cardinals got off to a quick start to open play this evening with two Springfield runs scoring on a single up the middle off the bat of Noah Mendlinger. The visitors would extend their advantage in the third, with Jacob Buchberger hitting a two-run homer to left field to give the Cardinals the 4-0 lead.

Despite a leadoff double from LuJames Groover in the fourth, the Soddies posted another scoreless inning before Springfield collected another two-run frame in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to six.

In his third plate appearance of the night, Jose Fernandez stepped up to the dish in the sixth with LuJames Groover standing 90 feet away. His second hit of the night brought home the designated hitter, putting the Soddies on the board.

Following another two-run inning from the Cardinals, Jeremiah Boyd launched a ball to left field for his first Double-A home run. Amarillo kept the line moving in their final turn at bat, with Groover driving in two on a double into left-center. The three runs in the bottom of the ninth would be all the Soddies could muster, and the Sod Poodles fell to Springfield by an 8-4.

The Sod Poodles look to get back in the win column tomorrow as game four of the series is set for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch tomorrow night. LHP Avery Short (0-1, 54.00) will toe the rubber for Amarillo while RHP Tekoah Roby (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is expected to start for the Cardinals.

POSTGAME NOTES

MOVIN’ AND GROOVER: Extending his hit streak to six games with a fourth-inning double was LuJames Groover...over those six games, Groover is batting .385 (10-for-26) with four doubles, three RBI, and two walks...the six-game streak is tied for the longest active streak in the Texas League with four others...it is also his third straight game with at least one double, the longest such streak in the Texas League so far this season...only four players put together a streak of at least three straight games with a double for the Sod Poodles last season, with Andy Weber (August 27 - 31) and Jesus Valdez (July 12 - 25) tying for the most consecutive games with a two-bagger at five apiece.

IT TAKES TWO: The Sod Poodles entered play tonight tied for the Texas League lead with Midland with six double plays turned...with three twin killings turned tonight, they are now in sole possession of first on the Texas League leaderboard with nine double plays...the figure ranks tied for first in all of Double-A ball with Harrisburg (Washington Nationals).

TOMMY WALKS A LOT: Going into tonight’s game, Tommy Troy ranked tied for second in the Texas League with five walks, adding a trio to that total tonight with free-passes in the first, seventh, and ninth innings...brings his total to eight walks on the year which now ranks first in the Texas League, increasing his on-base percentage to .533 for the year (3rd in TL).