STWF Sports | FRISCO, Texas | June 19, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders return to Riders Field on Friday night with the playoff pressure lifted, but with plenty still to sharpen as they continue their seven-game series against the Arkansas Travelers.

Frisco meets Arkansas, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, at 7:05 p.m. in the fifth game of the series. Left-hander Dalton Pence is scheduled to start for the RoughRiders, entering with a 2-1 record and 2.05 ERA. Arkansas will counter with left-hander Kade Anderson, who brings a dominant 6-0 record and 1.13 ERA into the matchup.

The RoughRiders enter the night as newly crowned Texas League South First Half champions after clinching a playoff berth with a 13-4 win over Arkansas on Thursday night. The victory secured Frisco’s place in the September Texas League Playoffs and marked the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2024.

The Impact of the Frisco RoughRiders’ Success in the Texas League

Frisco has now reached the playoffs 11 times in franchise history. The club owns two Texas League championships, winning titles in 2004 and 2022, and has now captured the first-half crown nine times.

Thursday’s clincher was powered by another explosive offensive performance. Frisco struck quickly in the first inning against Arkansas starter Nico Tellache, using back-to-back hits from Frainyer Chavez and Arturo Disla before Rafe Perich brought in the game’s first run with an RBI fielder’s choice.

The RoughRiders broke the game open in the second inning with five more runs. Marcus Lee Sang, Disla, Perich and Dylan Dreiling all drove in runs during the frame, with Dreiling delivering a two-run double that pushed Frisco ahead 6-1.

Starter Winston Santos worked through traffic, allowing a solo homer in the fourth and two more runs in the fifth, but he also struck out seven over four-plus innings. Joey Danielson followed with two strong innings in his 2026 Riders Field debut, earning the win and helping stabilize the game.

Frisco added four more runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double from Julian Brock. Brock later added an RBI single in the eighth, extending the lead to 13-4. Bryan Magdaleno recorded the final five outs to secure the first-half title and send the Riders into celebration mode.

The win continued an impressive offensive surge for Frisco. The RoughRiders have scored 26 runs over their last two games despite hitting just one home run during that span. Chavez opened the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader with a leadoff homer, but Frisco has scored its last 25 runs without leaving the yard, relying on contact, gap power and timely run production.

Chavez remains one of the hottest bats in the lineup. In 26 games, he is hitting .347 with a .453 on-base percentage, .561 slugging percentage and 1.014 OPS. He has totaled 12 doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs, 18 walks and 23 runs during that stretch. His third leadoff homer of the season came Wednesday, and he has already tied his career high with eight home runs despite playing 47 fewer games than last season.

Chavez is also among the Texas League leaders, ranking tied for third in hits, third in doubles, tied for sixth in walks, tied for sixth in extra-base hits and second in runs scored.

Disla has been equally dangerous against Arkansas. The RoughRiders are 6-3 against the Travelers this season, outscoring them 58-41 while holding Arkansas to a .198 batting average and .644 OPS. Chavez is hitting .389 with 14 hits and two homers in nine games against the Travelers, while Disla is batting .394 with 13 hits and two home runs.

Frisco’s pitching staff has also helped fuel the title push. The bullpen owns a 3.85 ERA, ranking fifth in Double-A and first in the Texas League. Over the last 21 games, the Riders’ relievers have posted a Texas League-best 3.15 ERA.

With the playoff berth secured, Friday gives Frisco a chance to keep building momentum. Against an undefeated starter in Anderson, the RoughRiders will get another strong test as they continue shaping a roster built for September.