TRAVELERS 2, NATURALS 1

The Arkansas Travelers came out on top of a pitchers’ duel with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday night.

Travelers’ starter Levi Stroudt and three relievers combined for a four-hitter as Arkansas secured the victory over Northwest Arkansas in front of 6,016 fans at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

Jake Haberer (1-2) earned the victory and Michael Stryffeler worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the eighth inning to help the Travelers earn their fourth consecutive victory, all against the Naturals.

Travis Kuhn pitched a perfect ninth inning to collect his third save of the season.

Stroudt and Naturals starter Drew Parrish (4-2) threw shutout baseball for the first five innings.

Arkansas scored both of its runs in the sixth inning. Tanner Kirwer drew a lead-off walk and stole second. Jake Scheiner singled to place runners at the corners. After Parrish struck out Joe Rizzo for the first out, Kaden Polcovich hit a soft ground ball to first baseman Jake Means for a RBI single. After a walk and a strikeout, Patrick Frick drew a bases-loaded walk for a 2-0 Travelers lead.

Tucker Bradley singled to lead off the Northwest Arkansas eighth inning and moved to second on a walk to Maikel Garcia. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Stryffeler, who then struck out Nick Loftin and got Michael Massey to hit a sacrifice fly to left.

The Naturals’ rally, however, came to end when Stryffeler struck out Seuly Matias with the potential tying run on third.

Stroudt struck out 7, walked 2 and gave up 3 hits in 5 2 /3 innings. Parrish struck out 8, walked 2 and allowed 4 hits in 5 2/3 innings.