NATURALS TAKE SERIES IN TULSA WITH 7-3 WIN OVER DRILLERS

TULSA, OK – After falling behind in the first inning, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals scored twice in the second and maintained a lead for the rest of Sunday afternoon’s game, as a 7-3 victory over the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field. Sunday’s win secured the series for the Naturals, club’s first series win over the Drillers since August 2019.

While the Drillers scored a run in the first on a pair of hits and groundout, the bottom of the Naturals’ order helped put the team ahead for good in the top of the second. Robbie Glendinning doubled and Jake Means singled, then Gavin Stupienski tied the game, as he singled in Glendinning and Ryan Grotjohn put Northwest Arkansas on top with a sacrifice fly that scored Means.

The Naturals added two more runs in the fourth, as Means led off the inning with a double and Brhet Bewley singled, then Grotjohn singled in Means and Nick Loftin drove home Bewley with a single.

For good measure, Northwest Arkansas added three more runs in the seventh, on singles from Glendinning and Means, followed by a bases-loaded walk from Bewley for the seventh and final run of the day.

Means led the day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Glendinning, Stupienski and Bewley each had two hits and Grotjohn drove in two runs.

After starting pitcher Noah Murdock allowed two runs on four hits across 3.2 innings, the Naturals bullpen kept the Drillers offense at bay for the final 5.1 innings, allowing just an unearned run on three hits and two walks.

Andres Sotillet pitched 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, improving to 3-0 on the season. Yefri Del Rosario earned his second save of the year, retiring seven of the last eight batters of the game, getting eight outs on just 26 pitches with a pair of strikeouts.

Back at .500, the Naturals return to action Tuesday to kick off a two-week homestand, with 12 games in 13 days against the Arkansas Travelers and Springfield Cardinals.