McLaughlin, Youngblood Lead the Charge with Homers in Soddies Win Sunday

AMARILLO, TX (August 30, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (33-24, 69-56) defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks (27-30, 58-68), 7-5, on Sunday afternoon at HODGETOWN. The Soddies won for the eighth time in their most recent nine games to maintain a commanding five-game lead over the Texas League South with 12 regular season games remaining.

Two quick groundouts had the makings of an efficient first inning for Corpus Christi starter James Hicks, but the Soddies rallied beginning with an Avery Owusu-Asiedu triple into the gap in right-center. After Angel Ortiz walked, Druw Jones collected an RBI double that put Amarillo on the board. Danny Serretti followed suit with a run-scoring knock of his own that brought home a pair and capped the three-run first inning for the hosts.

The Hooks responded by loading the bases with one out in the second on a walk and two singles. While David Hagaman had picked up his fourth strikeout of the afternoon for the second out of the inning, Jason Schiavone singled home two runs and Corpus Christi was able to plate one more on a throwing error on the play that tied the game.

Amarillo worked long at-bats in the third that saw Ortiz leg out a high-bouncing infield single and later McLaughlin collect a two-out RBI double that put the Soddies back in front. It was Youngblood’s turn in the fourth as the second baseman lined the first pitch he saw the other way, bouncing it off the top of the wall in left field for a solo blast.

While Corpus Christi tied it once again with a Tyler Whitaker two-run homer in the top of the fifth, McLaughlin checked in with his third hit of the day, a solo homer to left that gave Amarillo another one-run lead and put the first baseman a triple shy of the cycle. Amarillo tacked on another in the eighth with Ortiz doubling to lead off the inning and later scoring on a Jones single that made it a 7-5 ballgame.

Carlos Rey and Alfred Morillo toed the rubber in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, but both found themselves in tight spots as the Hooks threatened to cut into Amarillo’s lead. Strikeouts ended both frames, however, eventually granting credit for the save to Morillo as the Sod Poodles closed out their fifth win of the week.

POSTGAME NOTES

I’M McLAUGHLIN IT: Capping a strong month of August at the dish with a three-hit effort on Sunday afternoon where he finished a triple shy of the cycle was Ben McLaughlin...over 21 August games, he batted .321 (27x84) wit seven doubles, two homers, 14 RBI, seven walks, and an .863 OPS.

ANGEL EYES: Extending his hit streak to eight games with a pair of knocks this afternoon was Angel Ortiz...since the hit streak began on August 21, he is batting .452 (14x31) with 10 runs, three doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI, five walks, a stolen base, and a 1.367 OPS.