Wind Surge rally late, top Travelers 5-3 in 11 innings to split series

Wichita breaks through after seven hitless innings, capitalizes in extras

For more information contact: Tim Grubbs, [email protected] or [email protected]

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Wichita Wind Surge (4-5) closed out a six-game road trip with a 5-3, 11-inning win over the Arkansas Travelers (4-5) on Sunday afternoon at Dickey-Stephens Park, earning a series split.

Ty Langenberg led the way on the mound, striking out eight over five scoreless innings while allowing just four hits. Wichita’s bullpen followed in relief, as William Fleming and Jaylen Nowlin both notched scoreless appearances, and Ricky Castro worked out of a bases loaded jam in the tenth to earn the win.

Offensively, Wichita scored five runs on eight hits after being held hitless through seven innings. Ben Ross and Billy Amick each recorded multi-hit games, while Jose Salas and Hendry Mendez delivered key RBIs in extra innings.

THE RUNDOWN

Langenberg set the tone early, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced and striking out eight over five shutout innings.

Fleming made his Wind Surge debut in the sixth, tossing a scoreless inning as the game remained a pitchers’ duel through six.

Arkansas broke through in the seventh with a solo home run and added another run later in the inning on an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead.

Amick broke up the Arkansas no-hitter in the eighth with a one-out single. Wichita began to rally as Andrew Cossetti and Ricardo Olivar followed with back-to-back hits, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Nowlin entered in the ninth and retired the side in order to keep the game within one run.

In the top of the ninth, Wichita tied the game after a leadoff walk and a single by Ross set the table. With two outs, Amick delivered a clutch two-strike single to even the score at 2-2.

Nowlin struck out two in a scoreless bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.

In the 10th, Salas delivered an RBI single to give Wichita its first lead at 3-2. Arkansas answered in the bottom half to tie the game again, but Castro induced a 1-2-3 double play to escape the inning.

With Arkansas out of rested pitchers in the 11th they brought in outfielder Blake Rambush to pitch and Wichita capitalized. Ross and Mendez delivered back-to-back hits to drive in two runs and take a 5-3 lead.

Castro closed the door in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Wichita’s pitching staff struck out 15 batters, the sixth time reaching double digits this season.
• Wind Surge pitchers recorded 81 strikeouts during the series.
• Ross extended his hitting streak to nine games and recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
• Mendez recorded his first multi-RBI game of the season, driving in two runs in the 11th inning.
• Amick tallied his third multi-hit game of the season.
• Langenberg struck out eight over five scoreless innings.
• Castro earned his first win of the year.

STAT OF THE DAY

11 — Wichita scored five runs on eight hits across the final three innings of its 11-inning victory.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Wind Surge return home Tuesday to begin a six-game homestand against the Springfield Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Equity Bank Park. Games can be heard on windsurge.com and viewed on MiLB.TV and Bally Sports Live. For tickets, visit windsurge.com/tickets.

Photo credit: Braeden Botts