Sherman, TX (June 19th, 2024) – The Texarkana Rhinos took the lead in the top of the second inning against the Sherman Shadowcats, and from that point on, they never looked back as they took the victory with a final score of 10-3 to split the series at one win a piece.
Texarkana’s offensive outburst began in the top of the second inning when both Ian Guanzon and Gabriel Nativadad were hit by pitches to begin the game. Antonio Sabala followed the trend of getting on base by hitting a single into center field that loaded the bases. Rylan Evans then got the first RBI of the game for the Rhinos on a fielder’s choice that brought in Guanzon from third. The next two Rhinos runs were both unearned, as Natividad and Sabala scored on passed balls.
The Shadowcats first run came in the bottom of the third as Cayden Earnhart was brought home on a balk to make the score 3-1. But directly after allowing the Shadowcats to score their first run of the ballgame, the Rhinos quickly regained control of the game and widened the margin between the two teams. The Rhinos did this in the top of the fourth when Wyatt Cunningham hit a ball that made its way into right field, allowing him to get a single and score both Antonio Sabala and Kyle Dekerf in the process. They then added two more runs in the top of the fourth after Neil Jansen reached first on an error by Hastings at third base, and Christian Rosales and Wyatt Cunningham both took advantage of the opportunity to score.
The Shadowcats struck again as they scored their second run of the game in the home half of the fifth inning when Alex Rangel doubled into left field, bringing in Cayden Earnhart for his second run of the game.
The next piece of offensive action came from the Rhinos, as they scored a single run in the top of the seventh inning after Neil Jansen got on base via a walk, then made his way around the base path to third before being driven in on a sacrifice fly that Ian Guanzon sent into center field.
Going into the final inning of the game, the Rhinos lead sat largely at 8-2, and the Rhinos took advantage of inaccuracy on the mound from Shadowcats reliever Tyler Carnes to add two extra runs to their lead. Carnes walked both Neil Jansen and Gabriel Natividad before Antonio Sabala sent a well-hit ball into left field to score both of his teammates from the bases.
The Shadowcats attempted to rally back with one final push, but were only able to score one run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a passed ball before Niko Platre was able to get three outs and successfully shut the door against any potential comeback.
This game also marked Mason Sellers second win of the season, as he had a dominant performance on the mound for the Rhinos, which helped the game stay firmly in their grasp for its entirety. Sellers ended his night after pitching six innings in which he allowed just five hits and two runs.
This win puts the Rhinos above the Sherman Shadowcats in the league’s current standings, as they now sit in fourth place with a record of 7-10.
Next Up:
The Rhinos are back in action Thursday, June 20th, as they kick off a seven-game homestand in which they will face the Joplin Outlaws for the first three games and then host the Shadowcats in a four-game series.
