By Cade Haak
WHITE OAK, Texas (July 2, 2024) – The Texarkana Rhinos never got their offense going in full swing against a TimberHogs team that has been playing their best baseball of the season as of late.
Zach Andrews took the mound for the Rhinos to face off against Wilton Castillo Franco. Andrews’ night didn’t last long, as he allowed four runs in just two innings and then was pulled out of the game. Castillo Franco had the exact opposite experience on the mound, as he pitched for six innings and allowed just a single run while also racking up 13 strikeouts.
The Rhinos struggled to get any offense going for the majority of the game. They were able to score their first run in the top of the fifth inning, but by this point, they already trailed by 12 runs. The run in the top of the fifth for the Rhinos came when Wyatt Cunningham stole second, and the attempt to throw him out allowed Alex DeLeon to steal home.
The Rhinos’ other two runs came in the top of the seventh inning when Alex DeLeon and Kyle Dekerf both got on base by singles and were eventually driven in to score by Gabriel Natividad, who earned his second hit of the game with a single.
The TimberHogs offense showed that they were too much for the Rhinos pitching staff to handle, as they scored in every inning other than the first. The offensive motors for Piney Woods were the usual suspects, as Gage Goddard was 2-3 with three runs scored, and Juan Murrillo ended the night 3-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Murrillo also continued to build on his lead over the rest of the league by adding two more home runs to his total, putting him at 13 on the season.
