STWF Sports | MIDLAND, Texas | May 14, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders battled back multiple times Thursday night but could not survive the final swing.

The Midland RockHounds secured a dramatic 4-3 walk-off victory at Momentum Bank Ballpark when Cole Conn launched a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand Frisco another painful one-run defeat.

The loss dropped the RoughRiders to 17-18 overall while Midland improved to 22-14 in the tightly contested Texas League South race.

Despite the result, Thursday’s game provided several encouraging developments for Frisco, including a strong Double-A debut from left-hander Dalton Pence and continued offensive production from some of the club’s hottest hitters.

Performance Highlights of the Frisco RoughRiders

Pence entered the night making his first start at the Double-A level and showed poise throughout much of the outing against an aggressive Midland lineup.

The RockHounds struck first in the fourth inning after Clark Elliott and Conn connected on consecutive doubles to give Midland a 1-0 lead.

But Pence quickly settled back in after the damage, limiting Midland to just two runs over more than five innings while striking out three batters in his debut performance.

For a young pitcher making his first appearance at one of the most challenging levels in the minor leagues, Pence displayed composure and an ability to work through adversity.

The RoughRiders offense eventually rewarded him in the fifth inning.

After Midland starter Jamie Arnold issued three consecutive walks, Frisco capitalized behind one of the hottest bats in the Texas League.

Infielder Corey Joyce ripped a two-run single to give the RoughRiders a 2-1 advantage and continue his remarkable offensive surge since joining the club earlier this season.

Joyce once again looked like the centerpiece of the Frisco offense.

The former Cubs prospect finished with another multi-hit performance while driving in two more runs. Since arriving in Frisco in mid-April, Joyce has emerged as one of the top power hitters in Double-A baseball, consistently delivering extra-base hits and timely offense in the middle of the lineup.

Midland answered immediately in the bottom half of the fifth inning, however, tying the game at 2-2 against Pence before both bullpens took over.

Frisco regained the lead during the sixth inning thanks to another newcomer making an immediate impact.

Designated hitter Arturo Disla continued his impressive start to life at Double-A with an RBI single that pushed the RoughRiders back in front 3-2.

Disla has now driven in runs in each of his first two games since joining Frisco and continues showing advanced plate discipline early in his Double-A tenure.

The Dominican-born slugger also added another walk and base hit Thursday night after recording two hits during Wednesday’s victory.

His quick adjustment to the level has provided another boost for an already dangerous Frisco lineup.

Still, Midland continued responding every time Dallas appeared ready to seize control.

In the seventh inning, Ryan Lasko delivered the tying hit for the RockHounds, singling home Luke Mann to even the score at 3-3.

Both bullpens then settled in during the late innings.

Midland reliever A.J. Causey retired the RoughRiders in order during the top of the ninth, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

Then came the decisive moment.

Conn stepped to the plate leading off the bottom of the ninth against Frisco reliever Austin Roberts and crushed a walk-off home run to seal the victory for Midland and send the home crowd into celebration.

The defeat marked another frustrating close loss for the RoughRiders, who have struggled in tight games throughout much of the season despite possessing one of the league’s best offenses.

Even so, there were several bright spots offensively for Frisco.

Alongside Joyce’s multi-hit night, catcher Julian Brock also collected multiple hits, while outfielder John Taylor continued reaching base consistently with a triple, two walks and another strong all-around performance.

The RoughRiders once again showed patience at the plate and created scoring opportunities throughout the game, but the inability to deliver a shutdown inning late ultimately proved costly.

Frisco now turns its attention to Friday night’s matchup as the club attempts to even the series once again.

The RoughRiders are expected to send right-hander Winston Santos to the mound against Midland starter Corey Avant.

With the offense continuing to produce and young contributors emerging across the roster, Frisco remains firmly in the fight despite another difficult late-inning loss.