Huskies remain winless on the road after Rox pitching shines.
Brendan Reilly, bgr28@miami.edu
St. Cloud, Minn.- After a night where the Huskies issued 14 walks and committed five errors, they were looking for something to change. They did not find that on Friday night at Joe Faber Field as the Rox sweep the series, taking game two, 12-0.
The St. Cloud Rox (6-4) jumped out to an early lead on the Huskies (3-9) and did not look back, putting up four runs in the first inning on one hit after starting pitcher Max Pappas could not record an out before giving way to the southpaw Caden Griffin. Pappas ended the night giving up four runs on one hit and walking three.
Opposing him was left hander Rj Martinez, who the Huskies had already faced once this season. After going seven strong innings last Friday giving up one run, he bested his previous performance going six innings of three hit baseball, striking out seven against the Huskies who could not muster up much against the Minot State junior.
The bullpen for the Huskies went to work early as Caden Griffin was able to manage the Rox lineup, giving up two runs over four innings as the bullpen had to piece together eight innings en route to the Huskies second straight loss.
The bullpen which consisted of 3 Huskies, Griffin, Matthew Craven the Bellarmine product, and Jesse Pierce, who started the game off at the designated hitter spot, throwing eight innings, giving up eight runs, walking ten, and striking out three.
The Huskies were shutout, but the lineup was highlighted by San Diego State Aztec Charlie Rhee who paced the Huskies with two hits.
The walks and the errors continue to hurt the Huskies committing four errors and walking thirteen. Duluth over the two-game series committed nine errors and walked 27 Rox batters.
The Huskies continue their four-game road trip as they make the trip to Waterloo, Iowa as they are set to face off for the second time this series with the Great Plains East division leaders, the Waterloo Bucks, who the Huskies split the opening series with back at the beginning of June.
First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. from Riverfront Stadium.
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