STWF Sports | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. | May 31, 2026  — The Frisco RoughRiders will look to close their five-game road series on a positive note Sunday afternoon when they meet the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. CT, with left-hander Dylan MacLean set to start for Frisco. MacLean enters the finale at 4-0 with a 4.46 ERA. Arkansas, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, will counter with right-hander Adam Leverett, who comes in at 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA.

For Frisco, Sunday’s matchup is about response.

The RoughRiders fell 7-3 on Saturday night after being held in check for nearly the entire game by Arkansas pitching. Travelers starter Ryan Sloan delivered a dominant performance, throwing six perfect innings while striking out 11. Arkansas carried a perfect game into the ninth inning before Frisco finally broke through.

Corey Joyce opened the ninth with a walk to end the perfect-game bid. Frainyer Chavez followed with an RBI double to break up the no-hitter, and Dylan Dreiling added an RBI single before Rafe Perich drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. The late rally prevented a shutout, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Why the Frisco RoughRiders Are a Team to Watch This Season

Arkansas built its lead by attacking Frisco starter Austin Bergner early. The Travelers scored three runs in the second inning, added three more in the fourth and tacked on another in the fifth on a solo home run by Caleb Cali. By the time Frisco’s offense found life, Arkansas already held a 7-0 advantage.

Now, the Riders will turn to MacLean as they try to avoid dropping the series finale.

MacLean has been one of Frisco’s more reliable arms this season, and the RoughRiders could use length from their starter after a demanding road stretch that included back-to-back rainouts and a Friday doubleheader. Frisco’s pitching staff has shown flashes throughout the series, especially in Friday’s twin bill, when the Riders allowed just four runs over 13 innings. Dalton Pence highlighted that effort with six shutout innings in Frisco’s 8-0 win, giving the club its fourth quality start of the season.

That number has been important. Frisco is 4-0 when receiving a quality start, and another strong outing Sunday could give the RoughRiders the foundation they need against a Travelers team that has controlled much of the series with timely offense and strong pitching.

Offensively, the Riders remain one of the Texas League’s most productive clubs despite Saturday’s quiet night.

Through 48 games, Frisco ranks second in the league with 439 hits and first in batting average at .270. The RoughRiders are also second in runs with 303, averaging 6.3 per game. Their power remains among the best in the league, with 63 home runs, third in the Texas League and the second-most in recorded franchise history through 48 games.

The Riders have been especially dangerous when they strike early. Frisco has scored 44 first-inning runs this season, tied for sixth-most in the minors, while batting .314 in the opening frame with nine home runs. The team has scored in the first inning 20 times and has produced multiple first-inning runs in 12 games.

The formula has been clear all season. When Frisco scores eight or more runs, the Riders are 16-1. When they score seven or fewer, they are 9-22.

Dreiling continues to be one of the hottest bats in the lineup. The Rangers’ No. 10 prospect carries a 19-game on-base streak into Sunday’s finale and has hit safely in 11 straight games. During the on-base streak, Dreiling is batting .311 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .970 OPS. His ninth-inning RBI single Saturday was one of the few bright spots in the loss and kept both streaks alive.

Arturo Disla has also continued to make a strong impression since joining Frisco. Nicknamed “The Buffalo,” Disla has hit safely in 11 of his first 14 games with the RoughRiders and owns a .370 average with three home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.071 OPS. Between High-A Hub City and Frisco, he has been especially dangerous against left-handed pitching, batting .472 against southpaws.

Frisco’s lineup will be tested again by Leverett, but the RoughRiders have the offensive depth to quickly change a game. Ten different Frisco players have hit at least four home runs this season, making the Riders the only Double-A club with that level of power distribution.

Sunday’s finale gives Frisco a chance to wash away Saturday’s frustration and leave North Little Rock with momentum. With MacLean on the mound and a lineup still ranking among the Texas League’s best, the RoughRiders have an opportunity to finish the series with a strong all-around response.