Saturday, June 21 | Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, San Antonio, TX | First pitch: 7:05 p.m. CT
SAN ANTONIO — With the Texas League South first-half title hanging in the balance, the Frisco RoughRiders will look to ignite their struggling offense and snap out of a tough series when they meet the San Antonio Missions in the penultimate game of the first half Saturday night.
Frisco (37-29) enters the showdown trailing San Antonio (38-29) by just a half-game in the standings. But the Riders’ bats have gone ice-cold in the series, producing a paltry .215 batting average (29-for-135) over the first four games, with just four extra-base hits and five total runs—the lowest run production in all of Minor League Baseball among teams with at least four games played this week.
The RoughRiders’ struggles in clutch situations have been glaring: just 3-for-25 with runners in scoring position, squandering multiple opportunities to flip tight games. Compounding their issues at the plate, Frisco struck out a franchise-record 19 times in Wednesday’s 1-0 walk-off loss, the most ever in a nine-inning game in club history.
Both of the RoughRiders’ walk-off defeats this season have come against the Missions, adding an extra layer of tension to this already high-stakes matchup. Frisco’s playoff hopes hinge on a bounce-back performance, not only to keep pace in the standings but also to regain offensive rhythm heading into the break.
What to Watch For:
- Offensive Wake-Up Call: Frisco will need production from the heart of its lineup, especially with runners in scoring position. Keyber Rodriguez and Josh Hatcher remain central to any offensive turnaround.
- Pitching Remains Sharp: Despite offensive woes, Frisco’s pitching has largely kept the team competitive. Expect a strong effort from a bullpen that has been reliable all series.
- High-Leverage Pressure: With San Antonio riding momentum and Frisco needing back-to-back wins to stay alive in the first-half title race, every pitch and at-bat will carry playoff-like intensity.
With just two games left in the first half, Saturday’s clash could be a deciding blow in the Texas League South. For Frisco, it’s now or never.
