(Rochester, Minn.) – Battle Creek scored eight runs in the third inning, giving them an 8-5 win over the Rochester Honkers Thursday night in Battle Creek.
The Honkers scored four runs in the first inning; Jackson Thoreson (St. Mary’s) hit a sacrifice fly to put the Honkers on the board, and then Drew Ellis (Louisville) stole second base, allowing Kyle Kasser (Oregon) to score from third.
Later in the inning, Chase Lambert hit a single to score Ellis, and then Jacob Thomas (UC Davis) hit a double off the wall, giving the Honkers a 4-0 lead.
Daniel Patzlaff (Oregon) hit a double to score the first Bomber. Then, Daniel Jipping (Central Michigan) hit a double, making the score 4-2.
Christian Helsel (Penn State) hit the Bombers third double of the game, scoring two runs and tying the game, 4-4. Kevin Dupree (Middle Tennessee State) hit a single to score another run, and then Jacob Blunt (Clarke University) hit the fourth double of the inning, followed by a double by Alejandro Gomez (San Diego), making the score 8-4. Joey Czarske (Cal State Northridge) scored on a fielders choice in the eight, making the score 8-5.
Houston Glad (1-1) (NE Oklahoma JC) got the start for the Honkers and the lost; he pitched three innings, allowed eight runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one. Jackson Rose (Barton CC), Hunter Van Horn (Clemson), Ricky Delgado (UC Riverside), Bayley Chesterton (Riverside City College) pitched the final five innings and did not allow one run.
Malcom Grady (1-0) (Wabash Valley CC) got the start and the win for the Bombers; he pitched six innings, allowed one earned run on five hits, walked four and struck out one.
Czarske and Chase Lambert (Pepperdine) paced the Honkers offense; they each went 2 for 4, while Lambert added an RBI and Czarske scored a run.
Blunt led the Bombers by going 1 for 2 with two runs scored, an RBI, and walked twice.
With the loss, the Honkers fall to 5-17, while the Bombers move to 13-12.
The Honkers and Bombers will play again tomorrow night, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. The Honkers will play Kalamazoo Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, first pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. and Sunday first pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. Rochester will be back at home Monday to start a two-game series with the Thunder Bay Border Cats. Monday is FLY RST NIGHT with ABC 6 News, where a travel voucher valued at $400.00 will be given away! First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6:00 p.m.
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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 23rd 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 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Honkers as your favorite team
