Soddies Fall to Travs on Sunday Afternoon

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR (August 9, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (21-18, 57-50) fell to the Arkansas Travelers (19-20, 60-48), 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at Dickey-Stephens Park. With a chance to win the road series, the Soddies could not get anything going in the batter’s box and were defeated by the Travs in the afternoon contest.

In a series highlighted by stellar pitching performances from top-ranked prospects throughout the week, the Sunday afternoon finale was no different as both starters were efficient in the opening frame. Adam Leverett, the Arkansas righty, needed only nine pitches for a 1-2-3 first inning while Junior Sanchez needed only 10 to retire the side in order.

Adding on to a strong first week with a new organization was Boston Smith as the newly acquired Mariners prospect launched a solo homer to put the Travelers on the board with one out in the bottom of the second.

Leverett continued to dice up Amarillo hitters, facing the minimum through four innings in his start. Sanchez did well to keep the Soddies within a run as the no. 24 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization struck out four in his first four innings on the hill.

After two outs were quickly recorded in the top of the fifth, Ben McLaughlin singled up the middle to become the first baserunner of the afternoon for Amarillo, breaking up Leverett’s perfect game bid. While McLaughlin advanced to second on a passed ball, the Soddies were unable to cash in the run.

Two quick outs from Sanchez in the home fifth were followed by two consecutive Arkansas singles, putting the righty in a bit of a jam, but he was able to get Sammy Siani waving at a curveball for strike three to keep the Travs off the board.

Amarillo finally broke the goose egg in the sixth inning when Trent Youngblood launched his first home run as a Sod Poodle to knot the game at one. However, the homer was met with a home half by the Travs where they tagged Nate Savino for two runs on a Charlie Pagliarini RBI single and a Hunter Fitz-Gerald RBI double to put Arkansas up, 3-1.

Youngblood's first home run as a Sod Poodle TIES THE GAME!#SoddiesSummer pic.twitter.com/bJn4IMkRiu

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) August 9, 2026

In the bottom of the eighth, Smith continued his torment of the Sod Poodles with a two-run homer as his second long ball of the day gave Arkansas a pair of insurance runs before Amarillo’s final at-bats.

Cristofer Torin drew a leadoff walk to start a potential rally in the ninth and later scored on a two-out McLaughlin single, bringing the tying run to the plate in Junior Franco, but the outfielder was caught looking at strike three as the Soddies rally fell short, dropping the series finale, 5-2.

POSTGAME NOTES

THE SANCHIZE: Turning in five innings of one-run ball this afternoon was Junior Sanchez...the righty allowed only three hits while striking out six Arkansas batters as part of his continued effectiveness in road contests this season...he lowers his road ERA as a Sod Poodle to 1.99 over six away starts at the Double-A level.

FOREVER YOUNGBLOOD: Checking in with his first home run at the Double-A level this afternoon was Trent Youngblood...the solo blast was his 10th career home run...despite a better batting average against left-handed pitching this season, five of Youngblood’s six home runs this year have come against right-handers.