Wichita Sweeps Doubleheader For First Time In Over Two Years At Northwest Arkansas
SPRINGDALE, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge swept a road doubleheader by final scores of 4-2 and 7-5 against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The sweep is the first time Wichita has accomplished this feat since May 6, 2022, at Riverfront Stadium against the Tulsa Drillers. Jake Rucker laced his second RBI double
SPRINGDALE, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge swept a road doubleheader by final scores of 4-2 and 7-5 against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The sweep is the first time Wichita has accomplished this feat since May 6, 2022, at Riverfront Stadium against the Tulsa Drillers.
Jake Rucker laced his second RBI double in as many games to put the Wind Surge ahead in the top of the second in Game 1. Naturals second baseman Peyton Wilson tied the game in the bottom half of the frame on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Solo home runs left the yard to left field in the fourth and fifth innings off the respective bats of Aaron Sabato and Jorel Ortega. Northwest Arkansas rallied a second run home on a groundout in the home half of the sixth.
After the Naturals put the tying and winning runs at first and second, John Stankiewicz struck out a pinch-hitting Josh Lester swinging in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 4-2 Game 1 win for Wichita.
The Wind Surge scored first again in game two after an opposite field RBI double to right by Carson McCusker in the top of the second. McCusker came in after the next batter, Rucker, singled him home.
Wichita loaded the bases in the top of the third and put four more runs across on a pair of Naturals errors, a Kyler Fedko sacrifice fly, and a Rucker walk. McCusker doubled again to the left-center alley in the top of the fifth to put the Wind Surge ahead 7-0.
Northwest Arkansas would attempt to rally back by scoring five runs across the sixth and seventh innings before Taylor Floyd struck out Josh Lester for the Wichita doubleheader sweep, marking the first time the Wind Surge have done so since May 6, 2022, at home against the Tulsa Drillers.
Rozek and Stankiewicz recorded the respective win and save in Game 1. Rozek, now 2-3 in 2024, gave up an earned run on three hits in five innings with five strikeouts, while Stankiewicz surrendered an earned run on a hit with a walk and a strikeout in the final two frames for his first save. Engler is 4-0 after two one-hit innings of relief before Floyd retired the final batter for his second save in Game 2.
Wichita continues their road series with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday, June 7, with a 7:05 PM first pitch. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and windsurge.com or watch online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com.