Top 10 Games: #5 – Sod Poodles Win First Half

"Heading into the final two games of the first half, Amarillo’s situation was simple when it came to winning the Texas League South first half title: they need to win both games, and Midland needed to lose both…and that’s exactly what happened."

- Sam Levitt, Sod Poodles Broadcaster

On June 17, 2019, after trailing in the standings for 66 of their first 68 games of 2019, the Sod Poodles would come down to the final game of the first half to clinch a playoff berth for the first time as a new franchise, and, for Amarillo historically, for the first time since 1981.

Following two huge victories against Tulsa at home to keep their playoff hopes alive – an 11-6 win Saturday night and 2-1 walk-off win on Father’s Day – the Sod Poodles traveled to Northwest Arkansas where a victory against the Naturals mixed with a Midland loss to Springfield would crown Amarillo as the first-half champions of the South.

Royals’ Major League rehabber Eric Skoglund made the start for Northwest Arkansas, making quick work of Amarillo, holding the Soddies to three scoreless innings.

After a pair of runs by the Naturals in the third gave Skoglund some breathing room, the Sod Poodles attacked in the very next frame for three runs in the fourth and an additional two runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Soddies would plate three additional insurance runs behind a strong start by Lake Bachar make it a final 8-2 score.

Bachar finished after six quality innings and allowed two earned runs on two hits while striking out four batters. Sod Poodles’ relievers Blake Rogers, Evan Miller, and David Bednar combined to toss three no-hit innings.

In the mid-innings of the contest at Arvest Ballpark, the RockHounds were shut out 3-0 by the Cardinals and the victory clinched the Texas League First-Half South Division Championship and postseason spot for the Sod Poodles.

Thoughts from Sam in the booth:

"After the thrilling Father’s Day walkoff win at HODGETOWN, we got on the bus and traveled through the night to Springdale, Arkansas for what would be a huge Monday evening at Northwest Arkansas.

Of course, we were scoreboard watching. Midland’s game went much quicker than ours, as Springfield shut out the RockHounds. With the Sod Poodles grabbing the lead in the fourth, we knew that all Amarillo had to do was keep that lead…because the other result in Midland was also leaning in Amarillo’s favor.

The Sod Poodles ended up cruising to that win in Springdale, while Lake Bachar delivered one of his first signature performances of the season. Bachar, who was a contender for Texas League Pitcher of the Year by the time August rolled around, went six innings and allowed just two runs. A huge component of that win.

Amarillo’s first half title also guaranteed that playoff baseball would come to HODGETOWN in September, which was a great feeling for all of us. With how the region was embracing the team, you just got the sense that it would be a special postseason run when the time came. It was nice to know in June that our season would continue after the regular season’s final day."