ANDREW NEVILLE
Wichita Wind Surge
MIDLAND, Texas, The Wichita Wind Surge (1-3) dropped their third straight game to the Midland RockHounds (3-1), falling 6-4 on Friday night at Momentum Bank Ballpark. The Surge twice rallied from deficits to tie the ballgame, but Midland responded each time on their way to victory. Wichita failed to capitalize on several offensive opportunities in the ballgame, leaving 11 men on base and going 3-16 with runners in scoring position.
THE RUNDOWN:
Midland struck first in the bottom of the second on a two-run double by Ryan Lasko off Wichita starter Cory Lewis.
The Rockhounds got two more in scoring position in the fourth inning to chase Lewis from the ballgame, but Darren Bowen came out of the bullpen to quash the threat.
Maddux Houghton smacked a leadoff double to start the top of the fifth, but Midland starter Corey Avant retired the next three batters in order to strand him at second.
Wichita tied the game in the top of the sixth. Garrett Spain scored Andrew Cossetti with a single to left, and three batters later Maddux Houghton smacked a two out single off the glove of the shortstop to score Spain and knot the score at two.
Midland retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth against Spencer Bengard. Cole Conn led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Devin Taylor.
Andrew Cossetti immediately leveled the ballgame back up for Wichita, picking up a two-out RBI single to left to score Marek Houston and tie the score at 3.
The seesaw battle continued in the bottom of the seventh, as Cameron Leary hit a two-run go ahead homer over the left center field fence off Bengard to put Midland back on top 5-3.
Wichita got two on in the top of the eighth, but RockHounds reliever Micah Dallas struck out Kyle DeBarge to keep Midland ahead by two.
A Bobby Boser sacrifice fly plated an insurance run for Midland in the bottom of the eighth as the hosts cashed in a leadoff double from Cole Conn.
Garrett Spain scored Marek Houston on a groundout in the ninth, but Wichita could not muster anything further as Shohei Tomioka picked up the save.