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Published On: July 12th, 2014

 

Jack Goihl caps a four-run seventh with a three-run homer, ensuring a Honkers win Friday night

(Rochester, Minn.)– Some phenomenal pitching from the Honkers and timely hitting pushed the Honkers to a 4-0 win and sweep of the Alexandria Blue Anchors Friday night at Mayo Field. It was their fifth win out of six against Alexandria this season.

Michael Freeman (Oklahoma State) made his first start for the Honkers since June 17 against Willmar after recovering from an ankle injury. Freeman was strong in his second start of the summer, earning a no decision after pitching four innings, keeping the Blue Anchors scoreless allowing just three hits and three walks.

The Honkers lineup had their fair share of struggles against Alexandria starter Sean Stutzman (Dallas Baptist). Strutzman pitched a sensational five innings, setting down the first eight Honkers he faced. Ryne Roper (Illinois) broke Struzman’s perfect two-plus innings by singling to left field. Roper was only baserunner Strutzman would allow in the entirety of his start. Struzman finished the evening pitching five innings allowing his only hit to Roper and struck out eight batters.

Logan Spitzack (St. Cloud State) had been working in relief of Freeman since the fifth inning when the Blue Anchors seriously threatened to break the game’s scoreless tie. A fielding error and a couple of singles loaded the bases for Alexandria off of Spitzack with two outs for left fielder Jake Bergren (Minnesota). Spitzack struck out Bergren, though, to neutralize the threat and keep the game scoreless into the bottom of the seventh inning.

With one out in the seventh, Casey Fletcher (Illinois) singled to center field and promptly stole second base. Reid Roper (Illinois), last night’s walk-off hero, tripled to the right field corner, scoring Fletcher and breaking the tie off reliever Sean Terres (North Dakota State). The Honkers weren’t finished in the seventh, either. Jack Goihl (Augustana) hit a three-run home run over the right field fence with two outs and a full count to bring the Honkers to a 4-0 lead. Terres finished his night in relief pitching two innings, surrendering four runs on five hits.

Spitzack pitched four innings in relief of Freeman and kept the Blue Anchors without a run and gave up just three hits. L.J. Brewster (Hawaii) came on in the ninth inning to finalize the result. Brewster pitched around a lead-off single and retired the next three Blue Anchors in order. The Honkers defeated Alexandria 4-0 on Friday night to get their third-straight win.

Now 5-6 in the second half, the Honkers host one of the league’s worst, the Kalamazoo Growlers, tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. Nick Gruener (Harvard) is slated to make his seventh start of the season Satruday night in search of his fourth win. Ticket information for tomorrow’s game can be found at rochesterhonkers.com.

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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET), Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visitwww.rochesterhonkers.com.