Honkers snap Stingers seven-game win streak in game one of doubleheader behind Holbert debut 

(Rochester, Minn.)– Game one of Tuesday’s doubleheader between the Honkers and the Stingers featured a genuine pitchers duel, but some late-inning heroics pulled the Honkers to a 2-0 win in seven innings.

Honkers starter Seth Holbert (Sam Houston State) was brilliant in his first start as a member of the team. His live arm kept the Stingers off balance all evening; he struck out six batters and allowed just four hits in six scoreless innings. At one point, Holbert set down 10 Stingers in a row.

Unfortunately for the Honkers, they had to face a tough pitcher themselves in Matt Snyder (Kentucky). At times, Snyder was even harder to hit than Holbert was. He did not allow a Honkers hit until the fourth inning. Altogether, the Honkers managed just four hits off of Snyder in his six innings of work. The Honkers’ best opportunity to break the scoreless tie was in the bottom of the sixth with runners on first and second base for the hot-handed Casey Fletcher (Illinois) with two outs. Fletcher came through on an RBI single, his team-leading 13th RBI this season and eighth this homestand. Karl Sorenson (St. Cloud State) followed Fletcher and jumped on the first pitch to drive in the second run of the inning and the game on another single.

Jeff Campbell (North Dakota) came on in the top of the seventh inning to close the game and did so in order, 1-2-3. The Honkers took the first game of the doubleheader from division leader Willmar. The two are set to play their second seven-inning game at 8:15 p.m. It’ll be Michael Freeman (Oklahoma State), making his debut for the Honkers this season on the mound.

###

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.