WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Wind Surge (13-14) dropped the final game of their series against the Arkansas Travelers (15-12), 8-4, on Sunday afternoon at Equity Bank Park as Wichita allowed 15 hits and three home runs, including the seventh of the series from Mariners top prospect Lazaro Montes.
Wichita recorded nine hits in the loss, highlighted by multi-hit performances from Ricardo Olivar and Jorel Ortega. Olivar hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season during a three-hit day, while Murphy Stehly homered in his first at-bat during his Wind Surge debut.
On the mound, Wichita’s staff recorded 10 strikeouts, the 11th double-digit strikeout performance of the season. Aaron Rozek set a season high with three strikeouts, and Jarret Whorff logged his first scoreless outing of 2026.
THE RUNDOWN
Arkansas struck first in the opening inning, knocking a bloop single before Lazaro Montes launched a two-run home run to right field, giving the Travelers a 2-0 lead.
The Wind Surge responded in the second when Stehly homered to left field in his first at-bat with Wichita, trimming the deficit to 2-1.
Wichita took the lead in the third inning. Consecutive hits from Ortega and Maddux Houghton put two runners in scoring position before Hendry Mendez delivered a two-run single, pushing Wichita ahead 3-2.
Rozek entered in relief in the third and settled in quickly, generating weak contact while striking out two over his first 1.1 scoreless innings.
The Travelers regained the lead in the fifth on a two-run home run to right field, making it 4-3. Darren Bowen entered in relief to record the final out of the inning.
Arkansas extended its lead in the sixth with a solo home run, its third long ball of the game, to make it 5-3.
Wichita answered in the bottom half when Olivar launched a solo home run, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
The Travelers added insurance in the eighth, using three singles around a groundout to plate two more runs and extend the lead to 7-4.
Arkansas added one final run in the ninth on an RBI base hit after a leadoff single and stolen base.
Wichita was unable to mount a final comeback, falling 8-4.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Wichita struck out 10 batters, the 11th double-digit strikeout performance of the season.
- LF Hendry Mendez recorded his fifth multi-RBI game of the year.
- C Ricardo Olivar hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season.
- Olivar recorded his fifth multi-hit performance and first three-hit game of 2026.
- 1B Murphy Stehly homered in his first Wind Surge at-bat.
- INF Jorel Ortega tallied his second multi-hit game of the season.
- LHP Aaron Rozek set a season high with three strikeouts.
- RHP Jarret Whorff recorded his first scoreless appearance of the season.
STAT OF THE DAY
1 — Murphy Stehly homered in his first at-bat with Wichita.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Wind Surge begin a 12-game road trip on Tuesday with the opener of a six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles at 6 p.m. at Hodgetown Stadium. Games can be heard on windsurge.com and viewed on MiLB.TV and Bally Sports Live. For tickets, visit windsurge.com/tickets.