NATURALS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER IN SPRINGFIELD

SPRINGDALE, Mo. - All together, the day and night of baseball lasted six hours and 11 minutes from the first pitch of the opening game of the doubleheader to the final out of the night cap; but Sunday yielded Northwest Arkansas a pair of wins and a series victory over the Springfield Cardinals. The Naturals took game one, 6-3 and the nightcap, 4-1 at Hammons Field securing the club's first series win in Springfield, Mo. since May, 2014.
In the opener, Northwest Arkansas used three straight two-run innings from the third to the fifth to aid left-hander, Foster Griffin in a 6-3 win. The offense pressured Springfield starter, Connor Jones with multiple baserunners through the first two innings and finally broke through in the third.
Elier Hernandez drove home Erick Mejia from third base to break the scoreless tie. Two batters later with Jecksson Flores on second base and two-outs, Anderson Miller scorched a single into rightfield to plate the runner, extending the lead to 2-0.

Springfield countered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third; but the Naturals promptly got the two runs back in the ensuing top of the fourth. Nicky Lopez dropped a two-run single into short center to score Brandon Downes and John Brontsema who both walked to open the inning, doubling the advantage at 4-2.
Nick Dini added an RBI single in the fifth followed up by a sacrifice fly from Bontsema two batters later to push the Naturals' lead to 6-3 prior to the driving rain. The two teams endured an hour and 37 minute rain delay in the top of the fifth inning before resuming play.
Due to the delay, starter, Griffin (3-4, 4.21) had his start cut short went 4.0 innings, allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks on 67 pitched. Reliever, Walker Sheller (2-0, 1.76) earned the victory after entering the game in bottom of the fifth and threw 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. He turned the ball over to Jake Newberry with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth and Newberry notched the final two outs to earn his sixth save of the season.
Northwest Arkansas pounded out a dozen hits with Mejia leading the charge with a 3-for-4 game including his fifth double of the season. Lopez added pair of single in four at-bats while Miller and Dini each finished 2-for-4, with both driving in runs.
The bats stayed hot early in the second game of the doubleheader. Mejia led the game off with a double down the leftfield line off starter, Jacob Evans (0-23, 5.32). Two batters later, Lopez drew a walk and then Alex Liddi stepped to hit with two outs and drove a three-run homer over the leftfield fence - his third of the season - and gave the Naturals all the offense they needed.
Starter, Jake Kalish (1-1, 5.11) worked 5.0 innings of one-run baseball with three strikeouts and scattered five hits while not allowing a single walk.
Flores added a solo shot in the sixth inning to extend the Naturals lead to 4-1 while new Naturals' reliever, Michael Mariot worked the final 2.0 innings of perfect relief to notch his first save in his 2018 debut.
With the two wins, the Naturals (21-22) now sit a game and half out of first place with 27 contests remaining in the first half. It marks the club's first series win at Hammons Field since Northwest Arkansas took three out of four from the Cardinals from April 29 to May 2 in 2014.
The Naturals and the Cardinals conclude the series at Hammons Field on Monday morning with an 11:10 a.m. first pitch. Right-hander, Zach Lovvorn (2-2, 4.79) will make his eighth start of the season against right-hander Chris Ellis (2-0, 4.33) opposite for the Cardinals.
Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, with a 10:50 a.m. pregame show leading up to first pitch to the 11:10 on 92.1-FM, the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Facebook and Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on the 2018 season of Naturals baseball.
 
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
-Naturals-