Surge Drop Game One in Springdale

NW Arkansas 7

Wichita 5

SPRINGDALE, AR – In a back and forth battle, the Naturals ultimately delivered the final punch in game one of the best of five series. The Wind Surge look to get back on track to tie the series before heading home to Riverfront Stadium.

The Wind Surge and Naturals continued to throw jabs at each other offensively in what seemed like a heavyweight fight. Each side took a punch and then delivered one of their own. Wichita started the scoring tonight in the top of the second inning. After back-to-back strikeouts for Wichita, Leobaldo Cabrera took the third pitch he saw and blasted it over left field for a no-doubt solo home run.

Leo opened up the playoffs with a BOOM! 😳 pic.twitter.com/5iKZptsI4u

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) September 22, 2021

The Naturals answered in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI triple from Blake Perkins to even the score at 1.

In the top of the third, the Surge took the lead right back with another solo home run – this time off the bat of D.J. Burt. Playing against his former club, Burt skied a 2-0 pitch to right field that hopped off the mat over Seuly Matis’ head and onto the grass berm. For the second time, Northwest Arkansas answered back in the bottom half and eventually took the lead for the first time. RBI doubles from Seuly Matis and Freddy Fermin put Northwest on top 3-2.

As the Naturals answered, so did the Wind Surge. Jermaine Palacios led off the fourth with a single to left field on the first pitch in the at-bat. After Palacios was moved to third base, Leobaldo Cabrera picked up his second RBI of the night with a soft, fly ball that fell in between the first baseman and the right fielder, scoring Palacios and tying the game at 4 all. The Naturals had a chance to blow the game open in the bottom half of the inning, but Melvi Acosta limited the damage. Northwest had loaded the bases in part to two walks in the inning and two outs on the board. Meibrys Vilora drew the third straight walk of the frame to bring in Jimmy Govern for a 4-3 lead. Acosta got out of the inning in the next at-bat with a fly ball to left field and keep Wichita within striking distance.

Skipping to the sixth inning, the one-run deficit became a tie game once again thanks to Jermaine Palacios. Leading off the inning, Jermaine Palacios blasted the third home run of the night for Wichita deep to left field on a full count.

Jermaine Palacios hits the third Surge home run of the night and we are tied at 4! pic.twitter.com/fhB9XnYTRI

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) September 22, 2021

The tie did not last long once again, as Brewer Hicklen hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to take back the lead for Northwest Arkansas. The Naturals delivered the final blow in the bottom of the eighth to push their lead up to three runs. With the bases loaded, Freddy Fermin put a ball into the right center gap to score two and put runners at the corners with one out. Wichita managed to get the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate after scoring one run off a Roy Morales RBI single, but

Jordan Balazovic lasted 3.2 innings in the game one start. Balazovic allowed four runs on six hits and struck out three.

COMING UP: Wichita will play game two of the series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals tomorrow evening (09/21). First pitch is set for 6:30 pm from Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR. Wichita will start RHP Cole Sands (4-2, 2.46 ERA) against Northwest Arkansas RHP Yefri del Rosario (2-4, 5.99 ERA). RADIO/TV: KGSO 1410 AM and 93.9 FM, MiLB.TV and Windsurge.com.