Nett Keeps Rolling, Missions Beat RockHounds to Start Second Half 

MIDLAND, Texas (June 24, 2025) – Eight walks drawn by the San Antonio Missions (1-0, 40-30) helped them edge the Midland RockHounds (0-1, 39-31) in a 3-2 win to begin the second half of the 2025 season. Missions starter Braden Nett tossed six scoreless innings as his terrific month of June continued, and Ethan Routzahn secured the four-out save after the RockHounds mounted a late comeback.

San Antonio’s scoring started in the first off Midland starter Gage Jump when Devin Ortiz chopped a ball with one out and runners at the corners to the shortstop Drew Swift. Swift got the out at second, but second baseman Euribiel Angeles bobbled the transfer, allowing Francisco Acuña to score.

The Missions consistently applied pressure on Jump, which boiled over in the fourth when San Antonio drew four consecutive walks. The last of those walks saw Moisès Gòmez bring home Jake Snider to give San Antonio a 2-0 advantage. The free pass also forced Jump out of the game. Diego Barrera limited the damage, but getting Jump, May’s Texas League Pitcher of the Month, out of the game, served as a win of its own.

Nett mostly rolled through the game until Luke Mann led off the fourth with a triple. On a 3-0 pitch, Junior Perez swung away and lifted a flyball to center. Snider lined the ball up, hauled it in and made a perfect throw home. Brandon Valenzuela snagged the bullet and applied the tag on Mann in time to complete the double play and keep the 2-0 lead intact.

Barrera handed the ball to Stevie Emanuels for Midland, who like Jump, struggled with command. The Missions loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks, setting things up for a Valenzuela sacrifice fly. Two more runners stayed on base, but San Antonio’s advantage stood at 3-0.

Angeles began the sixth with a walk against Nett, but the righty worked around him to complete six scoreless innings. His final out came on his 100th pitch, marking the most pitches Nett has thrown in a game this season. Nett allowed five hits, struck out four and walked just one.

Stephen Jones replaced Nett and threw a clean seventh before the eighth caused some problems. Angeles and Henry Bolte each singled ahead of Mann’s sacrifice fly to get Midland on the board. Perez then banged an RBI double off the wall to bring Midland within a run and kick Jones out of the game. Routzahn came in with the tying-run in scoring position, and he calmy retired Carter Aldrete to maintain San Antonio’s 3-2 edge.

The game remained 3-2 into the bottom of the ninth, and Routzahn continued to pitch for San Antonio. He swiftly set down the RockHounds to secure the one-run win and give the Missions a nice start to the second half.

UP NEXT:

The Missions continue their six-game series in Midland on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. Righty Jared Kollar (0-2, 6.75) starts for San Antonio while righty Blake Beers (0-0, 0.00) goes for the RockHounds. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com.

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The San Antonio Missions are the Double-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The Missions were established in 1888 and have brought affordable family fun to the Alamo City for 123 seasons. The 13-time Texas League champions play their home games at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. For more information and tickets, call 210-675-7275 or visit samissions.com.