With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the 10th inning, Naturals’ right-fielder Orlando Calixte shot a single into rightfield to score three runs in the Naturals 4-1 extra-inning win Thursday night at Hammons Field.
The victory secured a series split for the Naturals with the Springfield Cardinals.
Three batters later, Ramon Torres drew a walk to load the bases for Calixte. The outfielder jumped ahead in the count, 2-1 and laced a single under the dive of Springfield first baseman Luke Voit while the ball continued to roll underneath the glove of right-fielder Collin Radack to allow all three runs to score.
Northwest Arkansas (8-12) trailed 1-0 entering the seventh inning when Hunter Dozier came to the plate against left-handed reliever Cory Littrell and clocked his fifth home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1. The homer was Dozier’s first off a left-hander since May 17, 2015, when he hit a walk-off home run at Arvest Ballpark against Springfield.
The Naturals head to Tulsa on Friday for a fourgame series against the Drillers.