WICHITA, Kansas (July 23, 2025) — Riding the wave of a stellar shutout victory, the Frisco RoughRiders return to the diamond Thursday night at Equity Bank Park for Game 4 of their six-game series against the Wichita Wind Surge. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT, with the RoughRiders sending right-hander Leandro Lopez to the hill for his Double-A debut, while Wichita counters with C.J. Culpepper, who has been steady in limited action.
Frisco (9-14, 47-44) comes into the contest with momentum on its side after blanking the Wind Surge 3-0 on Wednesday night behind a collective pitching gem and early offensive support. Wichita (11-12, 48-44) enters looking to even the series after being stymied at the plate.
RoughRiders Flashing Pitching Depth
In Wednesday’s victory, Frisco leaned on a bullpen-by-committee strategy that delivered its fifth shutout of the season—and second in its last four contests. Starter Josh Stephan gave the RoughRiders 4.2 solid innings before handing the ball to Ryan Lobus, who earned the win with a scoreless fifth and sixth. Daniel Missaki and Gavin Collyer bridged the gap to Gerardo Carrillo, who locked down his second save of the year with another dominant inning.
Carrillo has been one of Frisco’s most reliable arms this month. The 25-year-old righty has tossed eight scoreless outings in July, showcasing command, late-inning poise, and swing-and-miss stuff. With trade deadline activity looming across the league, his name may soon be surfacing on big league radars.
Walcott Continues to Sizzle
At the plate, Sebastian Walcott continues to make noise. The 19-year-old phenom extended his hitting streak to seven games with a two-run double in the top of the first inning on Wednesday. Over that span, he’s batting .300 (10-for-30) with five extra-base hits and has raised his OPS in July by nearly 50 points.
Walcott’s aggressive approach has complemented Frisco’s opportunistic offense well. Keyber Rodriguez also contributed in Wednesday’s contest, manufacturing a run in the sixth inning by singling, stealing second and third, and scoring on a Josh Hatcher RBI groundout.
Spotlight on Thursday’s Starters
Thursday’s matchup presents intrigue on both sides of the mound.
Frisco’s Leandro Lopez is slated to make his first Double-A start after being promoted from High-A Hickory earlier this week. The 22-year-old right-hander posted a 2.63 ERA across 11 outings in the South Atlantic League and will look to bring his high strikeout totals and advanced command to the Texas League. Lopez has yet to allow a run in his last three starts.
Opposing him will be Wichita’s C.J. Culpepper, who has quietly impressed this season with a 1.62 ERA through limited appearances. Culpepper has kept hitters off-balance with a mix of off-speed pitches and fastball command, and he will face a Frisco lineup that has started to find rhythm with timely hits and improved plate discipline.
Series Outlook
With the series now 2-1 in favor of Wichita, Thursday’s game serves as a pivotal contest in what’s been a back-and-forth battle between two teams fighting to stay afloat in the playoff picture. The RoughRiders’ pitching has flashed postseason-caliber dominance in stretches, while their offense has leaned on emerging stars like Walcott and consistent contributors such as Abimelec Ortiz and Aaron Zavala.
For Wichita, the challenge will be getting back on track after being shut out for just the third time this season. Offensively, the Wind Surge had no answer for Frisco’s pitching staff on Wednesday and will be eager to respond with run support for their young starter.
How to Tune In
Fans can catch all the action on the H-E-B Riders Baseball Network or stream live at RidersBaseball.com/Broadcast.
With the series still up for grabs, Frisco will be looking to even things up before the weekend finale. All eyes will be on Lopez as he steps onto the Double-A stage for the first time—and on Walcott, whose hot bat may prove the difference once again.
