Soddies by Morning: Groover Extends Hitting Streak, Sod Poodles Walk 11 in a Close One
Springfield 3 – Amarillo 2
W: Zane Mills (1-1) L: Zane Russell (0-1) S: Sean Harney (2)
Springfield the entire series has driven the Sod Poodles starter pitch counts up early, and Short experienced no different on Friday night. Short threw 38 pitches in a laborious first inning including walking two, but settled in after only giving up a single run despite loading the bases. “I felt pretty good. I wish I could have limited the walks a little more, but overall I felt pretty good” Short said postgame on Friday. That pretty much sums up the night for the Sod Poodles, as 11 walks soured one of the best pitching nights so far. Short looked in his words “pretty good”, especially after the first. He got ahead all night, throwing first pitch strikes to 11/17 batters faced, and didn’t allow a hit after that first inning. Short would give Amarillo a solid chance after pitching 4 innings giving up 1 earned run, on 3 hits, 3 strikeouts and 4 walks. The lefty bounced back giving up no homers at Hodgetown after giving up 3 in just .2 innings in San Antonio last week.
Tekoah Roby came as advertised. The righty was first righty starter that the Sod Poodles had seen since San Antonio, and he struck out 5 of the next 6 after giving up a lead off single to Andy Weber. Roby used a flury of fastballs early to overpower the Amarillo hitters, on his way to a line of 4 innings, on 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 5 strikeouts, throwing just 55 pitches and 38 strikes (69%). Roby has a history of shoulder problems, so you wonder if the Cardinals are manging his innings. Zane Mills would relieve him and give up a solo shot to the designated hitter Jesus Valdez to tie the game and leave Roby without a decision. Mills would also give up the only 2 Springfield walks in 3 innings of relief.
LuJames Groover came dangerously close to losing his season long hit streak when he came to the plate in the 8th after Tommy Troy just doubled to give him another multi-hit game in the series. After getting ahead 2-0, Groover ripped a single in between short and third to bring the streak to 7 games, now just 3 games behind Ryan Bliss‘s 10 games streak to start the season in 2023. Troy and Groover have been on fire this homestand, as the duo has hit .419 in the series, while the rest of the team has hit .212 against Springfield pitching. Catcher Christian Cerda continues to produces for Colina even on a rough night, knocking in his team leading 5th RBI with a sacrifice fly to score the second Sod Poodles run. Infielder JJ Wetherholt delivered back to back 3-Hit games for Springfield this week with a day off in between. The Cardinals #1 prospect had 3 singles in five at bats after collecting his first 3 Double-A hits on Wednesday night.
The Sod Poodles now drop to 1-6 on the young season, placing them at the bottom of the Texas League South after the Corpus Christi Hooks picked up their second win last night against San Antonio. Amarillo will have two more games this week against the now 6-1 Texas League North leading Springfield Cardinals before a 6 game series in Frisco with the South leading 4-2 Roughriders.
Today’s Probable Starters:
Amarillo:
LHP Spencer Giesting
2025: 5 IP / 3 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 0 BB / 5 K
One silver lining for Sod Poodles fans is that they will get their first live look in 2025 at Spencer Giesting. After the best start of the entire season for Amarillo so far in his first outing, Giesting will step on the mound tonight looking to give the Sod Poodles a much needed great start in the midst of this losing streak. Giesting dominated San Antonio, going 5 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Giesting gave up 0 free baserunners which would be exactly what the doctor ordered right now for Amarillo.
Springfield:
Max Rajcic
2025: 5 IP / 1 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 1 BB / 4 K
Max Rajcic didn’t allow a hit to righty his entire start last week against the Wichita Wind Surge. The Cardinals #23 ranked prospect brings a four-seam fastball, curveball, sinker, changeup, and a slider to the table, the last of which was an absolute weapons against right handed hitters.
