STWF Sports| FRISCO, Texas | September 1, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders found themselves in an early hole Tuesday night and could not fully recover, falling 9-5 to the Amarillo Sod Poodles in the opening game of a six-game series at Riders Field.

The Impact of the Frisco RoughRiders’ Performance on the Season

Amarillo struck quickly against Frisco starter D.J. McCarty, scoring three runs in the first inning and four more in the second to build a commanding 7-1 advantage. The loss dropped the RoughRiders to 28-30 in the second half and 67-59 overall, while the Sod Poodles improved to 34-24 and 70-56.

The biggest early blow came from Druw Jones, who launched a two-run home run in the opening frame as Amarillo immediately put pressure on the Frisco pitching staff.

The RoughRiders answered with a run in the bottom of the first when Rafe Perich lined an RBI single, but Amarillo kept the pressure on in the second and widened the margin before Frisco could settle into the game.

McCarty took the loss and fell to 0-3 on the season.

Frisco finally found a spark in the third inning behind Dylan Dreiling, who continued one of the strongest offensive stretches in Minor League Baseball.

Dreiling drove a two-run home run to deep center field, trimming the deficit to 7-3. The blast was his 22nd of the season and extended his hitting streak to 22 games, the longest active streak in Minor League Baseball.

He finished the night with three hits, adding another impressive performance to a season in which he has emerged as one of the most productive hitters in the Texas League.

Amarillo eventually restored its six-run advantage and carried a 9-3 lead into the ninth inning, but the RoughRiders made one final push.

Sebastian Walcott opened the late rally with a home run to deep left-center field, continuing his own torrid stretch. The blast marked Walcott’s third consecutive game with a home run, the first time he has accomplished that feat in his Double-A career.

Walcott now has six homers in 28 games with Frisco and continues to make an impact since returning to the lineup earlier this season.

Perich followed with his second RBI single of the night, bringing home Dreiling and cutting the deficit to 9-5.

The RoughRiders were unable to push the rally any further, however, as Amarillo recorded the final out and secured the series-opening victory.

Despite the loss, Frisco continued to receive production from several of its hottest hitters. Dreiling’s 22-game streak remains a major storyline as the season enters September, while Walcott’s three-game home run surge adds another layer of excitement to a lineup filled with top prospects.

The defeat also highlighted the importance of stronger starts on the mound. Allowing seven runs over the first two innings left Frisco playing from behind for most of the night, and although the offense responded with power late, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Frisco will look to even the series Wednesday night in game two against Amarillo.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Riders Field. Neither team had announced a probable starter following Tuesday’s game.

With the postseason already secured, the RoughRiders’ final regular-season homestand continues to serve as an important tune-up for a club looking to sharpen its pitching and maintain its offensive momentum heading into the Texas League playoffs.