Tulsa scored early and often, picking up a 9-1 win over Northwest Arkansas Friday night at Arvest Ballpark to snap a two-game skid (44-23).
Honestly, 4,076 people packed Springdale’s Arvest Ballpark Friday night just to watch baseball, a number that’d look great on the ledger for any downtown district in Chicago or New York. It feels good to have crowd counts like this back in the Southwest Towns, too, proving fans will show up for a good product.
Tulsa didn’t mess around. They strung runs together early, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Chris Newell’s two-out RBI single and a bases-loaded walk by Kole Myers. Then came the Murph—Tulsa really put the pedal down in the second inning, pushing four more runs across to lead 6-0 before the Naturals could really get settled.
Once Tulsa got rolling, their pitching staff did enough to keep the pressure on because the Naturals were limited to just one run, marking the rest of the game after that first inning rally, which is a tough way to lose a ballgame.
Look, Naturals manager Brooks Conrad knows what it takes to win in this league, and he wasn’t going to make excuses. He said the Drillers threw great and tip his cap to their pitching staff for shutting his team down. Conrad noted their effort and preparation were there; sometimes you just run into a staff that’s throwing lasers.
Even when the bats went quiet, there was definitely a bright spot on the defensive side of the ledger. Carson Roccaforte has been solid out there. Conrad mentioned seeing Roccaforte night in and night out and practically taking it for granted now—a sign of a really good defender getting comfortable in the outfield.
Tulsa’s offense lived on the free pass, too—they capitalized on 11 walks and 12 total hits to pad that lead efficiently.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for a good time, catching a game at Arvest Ballpark is one of those things that makes living in Northwest Arkansas actually feel special. Tickets for the remaining Naturals season are on sale now. Support the team this weekend at the ballpark and enjoy the outdoors in Springdale.
Source: NWA Democrat Gazette
