STWF Sports | SAN ANTONIO, Texas | June 13, 2026 — For seven innings Saturday night, the Frisco RoughRiders were locked in a tight road battle with the San Antonio Missions. By the time the ninth inning ended, the game had turned into another loud statement from a Frisco team chasing a first-half division title.
The RoughRiders exploded late and pulled away for a 10-1 win over the Missions at Nelson Wolff Stadium, using a two-run eighth inning and an eight-run ninth to secure the victory and clinch another series win.
Frisco improved to 34-26 with the win, while San Antonio fell to 26-36. More importantly, the RoughRiders strengthened their hold on first place in the Texas League South. With Midland also losing, Frisco now owns a 3.5-game lead over the RockHounds with eight games remaining in the first half. The Riders also sit 4.5 games ahead of third-place Amarillo, and their magic number to clinch dropped to five.
Frisco RoughRiders: A Powerhouse in the Texas League
San Antonio struck first in the opening inning when outfielder Tirso Ornelas launched a solo home run to give the Missions a 1-0 lead. That early swing held up for most of the night as both pitching staffs kept the game under control.
Frisco’s offense, quiet through the middle innings, finally broke through in the top of the eighth. The RoughRiders took advantage of a San Antonio mistake, scoring two runs on a throwing error against Sadrac Franco to move in front 2-1.
Then came the ninth.
Frisco turned a narrow lead into a runaway with an eight-run inning that showed the depth and power of its lineup. Dylan Dreiling worked a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run, and Rafe Perich delivered the biggest blow of the frame with a three-run triple. Orlando Martinez followed with an RBI double, keeping the pressure on San Antonio’s bullpen.
The RoughRiders were not finished. Keith Jones II and Julian Brock capped the inning with back-to-back home runs, pushing Frisco’s lead to 10-1 and putting the game completely out of reach.
It was the kind of inning that has defined Frisco when the offense is fully connected. The RoughRiders can work counts, create traffic and then turn a game quickly with extra-base power. After being shut out Friday night, Frisco responded with one of its loudest late-game offensive bursts of the season.
The pitching staff made sure the late lead stood with no drama.
Ryan Lobus earned the win, improving to 4-2 after throwing 1.2 perfect innings. Austin Roberts handled the final two innings and earned his first save of the season. Jonathan Brand, Lobus and Roberts combined for a dominant finish, retiring the final 16 San Antonio batters after Brand allowed a single to the first hitter he faced.
Frisco’s bullpen has been excellent throughout the series. The RoughRiders’ relief corps has now combined for 19.1 innings while allowing just three earned runs, good for a 1.40 ERA in the series. That kind of late-game stability has been a major reason Frisco has continued to stack wins and protect its division lead.
Saturday’s victory also gave the RoughRiders their third consecutive series win. Frisco has not dropped a series since May 5-9, when it lost a five-game set to Northwest Arkansas.
That consistency is becoming one of the biggest stories of the first half. The RoughRiders have answered losses quickly, leaned on a strong bullpen and found timely offense in key spots. Saturday’s game was another example of that formula, even if the payoff came later than expected.
The Riders will close the series Sunday at 6:05 p.m. against the Missions at Nelson Wolff Stadium. Frisco will send left-hander Dylan MacLean to the mound. MacLean enters at 4-0 with a 4.56 ERA. San Antonio will counter with right-hander Victor Lazarraga, who comes in at 2-6 with a 6.89 ERA.
With the magic number down to five, every inning matters. On Saturday, Frisco waited until the final two frames to take control, but once the RoughRiders broke through, they left no doubt.
