The Honkers win game one of the evening’s doubleheader, 9-2, and their fourth straight
(Rochester, Minn.)— Honkers defeated the Rox, 9-2, in the first meeting between the two teams this season.
Jeff Campbell (North Dakota) added three more hits to his torrid streak at the plate. He’s reached safely in 12 straight games and has a nine game hit streak. In addition to his three hits, he plated home three runs – his 12th, 13th and 14th RBIs this season.
Nick Gruener (Harvard) started his fourth game for the Honkers this season and was just as effective as he’s been all summer. Allowing one earned run on five hits and three walks helped Gruener to his third win of the season and a kept up his miniscule 1.80 ERA.
The Honkers scored four runs within the first six batters they sent to the plate in the top of the first inning. Campbell doubled in two runs and Reid Roper (Illinois) added a single to score the fourth of the inning. In the second inning, the Honkers scored two more runs with the help of three walks in the inning and two wild pitches.
The lone bright spot for the Rox came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Mitchell Kranson (California-Berkeley) hit his third home run of the season, driving in the Rox’s second run of the game. But the Honkers made sure it was the closest they’d get.
Max Weinstein (California, Irvine) made his first appearance this summer in a scoreless sixth inning. Ryan Diers (St. Cloud State) added another scoreless inning in the seventh and that would be it for game one of today’s doubleheader in St. Cloud.
Now 18-12, the Honkers are looking to win their fifth straight game to complete the two-game sweep of the Rox tonight; the second game is set to begin shortly. Spencer Greer (Western Nevada Community College) is primed to make his for fifth start of the season for the Honkers, seeking his fourth win, too. The Honkers are home next on Monday when they host the Waterloo Bucks at 1:05 p.m. as part of the SCHEELS Highway 63 Cup. Ticket information 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.
