STWF Sports | FRISCO, Texas | June 5, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders have spent the first three games of their series against the Springfield Cardinals playing inside tight margins. On Friday night, they will try to flip another close contest back in their favor.
Frisco hosts Springfield, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, at 7:05 p.m. CT at Riders Field in the fourth game of a six-game series. The RoughRiders will send left-hander Dalton Pence to the mound, while Springfield will counter with switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje.
Pence enters at 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA and gives Frisco a strong chance to stabilize the series after Thursday’s 6-4 loss. Cijntje comes in at 3-2 with a 5.21 ERA as the Cardinals look to build on their series lead.
Thursday’s matchup followed a familiar pattern for the RoughRiders. Frisco struck early, battled late and stayed within reach, but Springfield made enough plays to hold on.
The RoughRiders jumped ahead in the first inning when Dylan Dreiling drove a home run over the left-center field wall off Springfield starter Liam Doyle. It was another early spark from Dreiling, who has become one of the hottest hitters in the Texas League.
Springfield responded in the second inning with the swing that changed the game. Dakota Harris connected for a three-run home run off Winston Santos, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 lead they never surrendered. Frisco scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, including an RBI double from Corey Joyce, before Dreiling delivered again with an eighth-inning RBI single to make it a one-run game.
Springfield added an insurance run and Darlin Saladin closed the door in the ninth for his first save.
For the RoughRiders, the loss dropped them to 27-25 and continued a trend of close games. Frisco is now 8-11 in one-run contests this season, and many of those defeats have come with late drama. In five of their 11 one-run losses, the Riders scored at least once in the final inning before coming up just short.
That late-game fight has been one of Frisco’s strengths. The RoughRiders have scored 115 runs in the seventh inning or later, the most in Double-A. Their pitching has also been strong late, ranking second in Double-A with a 3.41 ERA from the seventh inning on.
The next step is turning those late pushes into wins.
Frisco RoughRiders Aim to Turn Late Pushes into Victories
Starting pitching will be a major factor Friday. Since May 13, Frisco’s starting pitchers have posted a 4.18 ERA in wins compared to a 7.39 ERA in losses. The Riders are 4-0 this season when they receive a quality start and 13-7 when a starter works at least five innings.
Pence has the profile to give Frisco length and keep the offense within striking distance. If he can control the early innings, the RoughRiders’ lineup has shown it can generate pressure throughout the night.
Dreiling remains the center of that attack. The Rangers’ No. 10 prospect is now fifth in the Texas League with a .306 batting average and carries a league-best 23-game on-base streak into Friday. During that stretch, he is hitting .326 with a .435 on-base percentage, .573 slugging percentage, six home runs and 19 RBI.
Over his last three games, Dreiling has been even better, batting .500 with a 1.433 OPS. He has also been a first-inning force, tying for the league lead with 14 hits in the opening frame while hitting .389 with three first-inning home runs.
Rafe Perich has also made an immediate impact since joining Frisco. He has homered twice in his first six games with the RoughRiders, including a walk-off blast Wednesday night. His 13 total home runs this season lead the Texas Rangers organization.
Arturo Disla continues to provide another dangerous bat. Nicknamed “The Buffalo,” Disla has hit safely in 14 of 18 games with Frisco and owns a .333 average with three home runs and 15 RBI. Between High-A Hub City and Double-A Frisco, he has punished left-handed pitching, batting .429 with a 1.290 OPS against southpaws.
As a team, Frisco remains one of the Texas League’s most productive offenses. Through 52 games, the RoughRiders rank second in hits with 475, second in batting average at .269 and second in runs with 323. They are also fourth in home runs with 67, first in slugging percentage at .442 and second in OPS at .807.
The formula remains clear. Frisco is 17-1 when scoring eight or more runs but just 10-24 when scoring seven or fewer.
Friday night brings another opportunity to turn offensive pressure into a complete win. With Pence on the mound, Dreiling swinging a hot bat and the Riders still producing late, Frisco will look to even the series and shift momentum back at Riders Field. Fans can enjoy Fireworks after tonight’s game!
