Tulsa Takes Game Two in Amarillo Behind Crowley

Amarillo, TX- The Tulsa Drillers pursuit for a berth in the Texas Collegiate League playoffs continued Wednesday night with game two of a three-game series with another playoff contender, the Amarillo Sod Dogs. After a tough loss a night earlier, the Drillers bounced back behind an outstanding outing from starting pitcher Garrett Crowley. Crowley opened the game with five no-hit, scoreless innings as Tulsa defeated the Sod Dogs 5-3 at Amarillo’s Hodgetown.

The victory moved the Drillers just ½ game behind the first-place Amarillo Sod Squad in the North Division standings of the TCL. Tulsa is ½ game in front of Frisco and 1 ½ games in front of the Sod Dogs for second place and a spot in the playoffs.

The Drillers jumped ahead Thursday in the top of the second inning. Three singles by Clay Owens, Max Hewitt and Jordan Wiley loaded the bases and set the stage for a two-run single from Hueston Morrill, giving Tulsa a 2-0 lead.

The next inning, two walks and a single loaded the bases again for the Drillers. Wiley then singled to left bringing two more runs across the plate. One batter later, Morrill singled to center plating one more run giving Tulsa a 5-0 lead after three innings.

The Sod Dogs were able to manufacture their only runs of the game in the sixth. With two runners on base, a throwing error by Morrill brought two runs in. One more run scored on a failed double play attempt by the Drillers, allowing a runner to score from third, making the score 5-3.

TULSA HITTERS: Tulsa saw a lot of production from the bottom half of the lineup as the bottom four spots in the order combined for seven of Tulsa’s ten total hits.

Wiley, one of the newest Drillers, finished with two hits and two RBI.
Morrill, batting in the ninth spot, went 2-4 with 3 RBI.
Hewitt also finished 2-4.

TULSA PITCHERS: Crowley delivered the longest outing of the season for a Drillers pitcher, going a total of 5.1 innings. He gave up just one hit but was charged with three runs, two earned.
Shane Mejia threw two scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.
Austin Vernon picked up his second save of the season as he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

UP NEXT: The Drillers continue their weeklong stay in Amarillo on Thursday with the final game against the Sod Dogs. First pitch at Amarillo’s Hodgetown is set for 7:05 p.m.

All four remaining regular season games can be viewed online with a subscription to TCL-TV.

The starting pitchers for Thursday’s game are scheduled to be:

Tulsa – RHP Kale Davis (1-0, 0.71 ERA)
Amarillo Sod Dogs - TBD