RoughRiders Shut Out Hooks Behind Stephan’s Gem and Walcott’s Power

The Frisco RoughRiders leaned on a lights-out performance from Josh Stephan and a hot night from Sebastian Walcott to blank the Corpus Christi Hooks 4-0 last night, stretching their win streak to four games. Stephan spun his first quality start of 2025, and Walcott, the 19-year-old, smashed his second homer of the season.

For Stephan, this season is huge. After being limited to just 58.1 innings last year due to injury, a healthy season is a priority. The righty tossed 6 scoreless innings, giving up only one run over his last two starts combined. He’s gone an extra frame in every outing so far, though hitting seven innings next time might be a stretch. Still, he carved up the Hooks’ lineup, locking in the win.

Then there’s Sebastian Walcott. The kid’s 19 and already a game-changer. In his first at-bat, he got plunked, advanced to second on a groundout, swiped third (his fourth steal this year), and scored on a throwing error to put Frisco up 1-0 in the first. Not enough? In the third, he launched a solo shot—his second homer of the season—to make it 3-0. In the sixth, he ripped an RBI single to wrap the scoring. Walcott went 2-for-2 with a homer, 2 RBI, 2 runs, a hit-by-pitch, and that stolen base (4). Over his last 11 games, he’s been red-hot: .303/.455/.576/1.030, with 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 walks, 10 strikeouts, and 3 stolen bases. Like one coach said before the game, “He’s a spark. Things happen when he’s out there.”

Frisco only scratched out four hits total, but they were plenty. Alejandro Osuna (.247) went 1-for-3, scoring a run and drawing a walk. Keyber Rodriguez chipped in, going 1-for-4. Cam Cauley went 0-for-3 but walked, scored, and swiped third (his sixth steal) in the second, crossing the plate on a wild pitch from Hooks starter James Hicks to make it 2-0. Hicks got tagged with the loss.

The RoughRiders jumped on the board early. Walcott’s steal and the error in the first gave them the lead. Cauley’s swipe and Hicks’ wild pitch in the second padded it. Walcott’s bomb in the third and his RBI knock in the sixth locked in the 4-0 final.

Stephan and the Frisco pen silenced the Hooks’ bats all night, and the RoughRiders’ timely hits did the rest. This fourth straight win keeps their hot streak cooking in this six-game series.

RHP Travis MacGregor pitched two shutout innings out of the pen for the Riders. He allowed one hit and one walk but struckout five.

RHP Skylar Hales (9.00) shut the door with his inning. He gave up a hit but struckout the side.

Probable Pitchers for tonight

Frisco’s back at it tonight against the Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. for game four of the series. RHP Ben Anderson (0-2, 9.58) gets the ball for the RoughRiders, hoping to turn things around after a shaky start to 2025. The Hooks send out RHP Jose Fleury (2-0, 0.00), who’s been untouchable so far.