Naturals edge Sod Poodles

NATURALS 8, SOD POODLES 7

SPRINGDALE — Friday night fireworks started early as Northwest Arkansas staved off Amarillo 8-7 in a 32-hit slugfest at Arvest Ballpark.

The announced crowd of 4,890 was treated to the scheduled pyrotechnic display after the game. But both team’s sluggers set the stage by putting on an explosive show of their own.

The Naturals clubbed a total of 17 hits. Nate Eaton (solo homer) and John Rave both went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Michael Massey was 3-for-4, scoring twice. Robbie Glendinning drove in two runs, as did Jake Means. Nick Loftin added a pair of hits.

The Naturals pulled away from a 2-all tie with three-run rallies in the fifth and sixth innings.

Rave smacked a two-run double and later crossed the plate on Means’ single for a 5-2 lead in the fifth.

Amarillo shaved the deficit to 5-3 and had men on first and third with one out in the sixth. Reliever and eventual winner Walter Pennington (2-1) wriggled off the hook as former Razorback Dominic Fletcher grounded into a double play.

In the home half of the inning, the Naturals (9-10) tacked on three more. Glendinning delivered a two-RBI double, and Eaton’s RBI single put Northwest Arkansas ahead 8-3.

The Sod Poodles crept within 8-6 in the eighth. Jonah Dipoto, the fourth Naturals pitcher, relieved struggling Stephen Woods Jr. (three runs, three hits, two run-scoring wild pitches) with runners on first and third and two out.

Dipoto doused the fire by fanning Ti’Quan Forbes.

Amarillo scored once in the ninth and had the tying run at second. But Dipoto struck out Nick Dalesandro to get the save and send Naturals fans home happy.

Eaton’s big night started when he led off the second with a blast to left, his second round-tripper of the season. Rave followed with a triple and later scored on Means’ groundout, making it 2-0.

The Sod Poodles ( 10-9) evened the score with two runs in the fourth. And with men on the corners and two away, Fletcher’s grounder up the middle looked like trouble. But second baseman Massey snagged the ball and tossed to shortstop Maikel Garcia, getting a force at second and ending the threat.

Amarillo used two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs in the second. But Naturals starter Dante Biasi emerged unscathed, striking out Juan Centeno and Drew Stankiewicz and retiring Dalesandro on a tricky popup near first base as Massey ranged over to make a nice catch.

Stankiewicz went 3-for-4 with three RBI.

The squads have split the first four in the six-game series.