Wichita Falls in Game Three, Ends Inaugural Season
NW Arkansas 6 Wichita 2 WICHITA, KS – The Wind Surge ended their 2021 season after a game three loss to Northwest Arkansas in the championship series. The Wind Surge were the first ones on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Jermaine Palacios led off the inning
NW Arkansas 6
Wichita 2
WICHITA, KS – The Wind Surge ended their 2021 season after a game three loss to Northwest Arkansas in the championship series.
The Wind Surge were the first ones on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Jermaine Palacios led off the inning with a deep blast to left field. Palacios’ second home run of the championship series traveled 405 feet at 107 miles per hour and the Surge took the early 1-0 lead.
Goodbye ball! 👋 pic.twitter.com/9g7QDex2mL
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) September 25, 2021
Later in the bottom of the third, after the Naturals tied the game at 1-1 off a Clay Dungan sacrifice fly, Stevie Berman was on third with Roy Morales at the plate. Morales hit a drive to right field and Berman tagged from third looking to give Wichita the lead back. Right fielder Seuly Matis made an excellent throw from the right field line to throw out Berman at the plate and preserve the tie.
Northwest Arkansas took all the momentum in the top of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Brewer Hicklen took the third pitch he saw and blasted it over left field for a grand slam. Just like that, the Naturals jumped out in front 5-1. Andrew Bechtold recorded an RBI groundout for the second run of the game for Wichita in the bottom half of the fourth to bring it to 5-2. However, the Naturals were able to take that run back in the seventh with a Vinnie Pasquantino RBI single to center field to push the Naturals lead to 6-2. The Wind Surge were never able to get back into this one, as they fell in the final game of the season.
Jermaine Palacios had a good night at the plate. Palacios went 3-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Austin Schulfer threw 4.0 innings in his start on the mound. Schulfer allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and struck out four. Kody Funderburk threw 3.0 innings of relief and allowed one run on three hits while striking out two. Jordan Gore threw the final 2.0 innings in a scoreless effort and struck out one.