Naturals Return Home For Four-Game Series

SPRINGDALE — Northwest Arkansas returns home for a short four-game stay at Arvest Ballpark against Springfield beginning at 7 p.m. today. The Naturals took two of three games from Frisco on the road as Brooks Pounders evened his record at 4-4 thanks to a 7-3 win over the RoughRiders on Monday. Northwest Arkansas sits second in the North Division standings of the Texas League with a 10-8 record, two games behind first-place Arkansas.

Outfielder Brian Fletcher is riding a 16-game hitting streak and hitting a team-best .309. He’s hitting .386 in his last 10 games with a home run and 10 RBIs.

Matt Fields, the Texas League co-leader in home runs with 21, and Whit Merrifield have also been swinging hot bats. Fields is hitting .353 in his last 10 games with two home runs and nine RBIs.

Merrifield is hitting a robust .392 in the second half with one home run and 17 RBIs. He has only 23 RBIs for the season.

Fields, who won the Texas League Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, is tied with Xavier Scruggs of Springfield for the league lead in homers with 21 and ranks second in RBIs (61), four behind Springfield’s Ruben Gotay.

Rey Navarro is also in the top 10 in the league in doubles with 19.

The Naturals, who finished in last place in the division in the first half, have also pitched much better in the second half.

Pounders is 3-0, including a no-hitter against Midland, in his last five starts. The right-hander has allowed nine earned runs, struck out 32 and walked 10 during that period of 34 innings. Sugar Ray Merrimon is also 3-1 in his last five starts.

The Naturals leave town briefly for a four-game series at Tulsa, before returning home for seven games against Springfield and Arkansas beginning July 18.