STWF Sports| FRISCO, Texas| August 23, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders will try to close their six-game series against the Wichita Wind Surge on a positive note Sunday evening at Riders Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT, with left-hander Blake Townsend set to start for Frisco against Wichita right-hander Sam Armstrong. Townsend enters the matchup with a 4-5 record and 4.98 ERA, while Armstrong is 7-8 with a 4.58 ERA.
The RoughRiders have endured their toughest stretch of the season against Wichita, dropping five straight games entering the finale. The Wind Surge have averaged 7.6 runs per game during the series while collecting 8.8 hits per contest, six home runs and 14 stolen bases.
Challenges Facing the Frisco RoughRiders in the Series Finale
Frisco’s latest loss followed a familiar pattern. Wichita jumped ahead early, building a 6-0 advantage through two innings before the RoughRiders began to chip away.
Malcolm Moore homered and Theo Hardy added an RBI double to pull Frisco closer, while Yeison Morrobel and Arturo Disla contributed run-producing hits later in the game. The RoughRiders eventually brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth before Wichita escaped with a 7-5 victory.
For Frisco, one of the brightest spots has continued to be Dylan Dreiling.
The Rangers’ No. 13 prospect enters Sunday riding a 15-game hitting streak. During that stretch, Dreiling is batting .419 with five doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
His season numbers have placed him among the Texas League’s top offensive performers. Dreiling ranks third in batting average at .308, fourth in OPS at .909, second in hits with 124, fourth in total bases with 212 and fifth in runs with 76.
His 21 home runs are also notable historically. They are the most by a RoughRiders player since Blaine Crim hit 24 in 2022 and the most by a center fielder in franchise history.
Another power source to watch is Max Wagner, who has surged over the second half of the season.
Wagner has 18 home runs this year, including 14 over his last 42 games. Since June 20, that total ranks third in the Texas League. He also owns 15 home runs from the eighth and ninth spots in the batting order, the most in Minor League Baseball.
Frisco’s lineup is also boosted by the presence of top Rangers prospect Sebastian Walcott, who returned from the injured list Aug. 12 after being sidelined following a pickoff throw that struck him in the head.
The RoughRiders remain one of the most dangerous offensive clubs in Double-A.
Through 117 games, Frisco leads Double-A with 1,065 hits and a .268 team batting average. The RoughRiders also rank second in runs with 695, averaging 5.9 per game, while leading the Texas League in doubles and slugging percentage.
Late innings have been particularly productive for Frisco. The RoughRiders lead Double-A with 249 runs scored in the seventh inning or later and have been especially effective in the eighth, where they have scored 99 runs.
That late-game production may be crucial Sunday against a Wichita team that has repeatedly found ways to take control in the closing innings.
Frisco’s bullpen has also carried a heavy workload in August, throwing a Texas League-high 99.2 innings this month while posting a 4.70 ERA.
Despite the recent skid, the RoughRiders have already secured their place in the postseason after winning the Texas League South Division first half with a 39-29 record.
Sunday’s finale offers Frisco a chance to stop its longest losing streak of the year, regain momentum and begin sharpening its form for another postseason run.
