(Rochester, Minn.)— The Rochester Honkers won the first game on Monday’s doubleheader at St. Cloud 8-6. It was the completion of a game between the Honkers and Sox that was suspended due to weather on June 6th. Patrick Duester (Tulane) notched his first win as a Honker, throwing five innings while allowing two runs and striking out seven batters. Spencer Greer (Dixie State) got his fourth save of the year. Ryan Kokora (Paradise Valley CC) was charged with the loss. Kokora gave up 6 runs to the Honkers prior to the game being suspended.
Miles Mastrobuoni (College of San Mateo) lead the way for the Honkers at the plate. The 5-foot-9 leadoff man went 2-4 with two RBIs and a run scored for a Rochester attack that was incredibly potent prior to the game being suspended but struggled to find traction in the early innings Monday.
When the game was suspended, Rochester lead 6-3 in the bottom of the third. St. Cloud had loaded the bases with no outs. The Rox used that setup Monday to score one run to make it 6-4 . Another run in the fourth brought St. Cloud within one, 6-5, but they would not be able to get the tying run across.
Alex Schultz (Nebraska-Omaha) put the Honkers back ahead by two when he scored on a wild pitch, but the Rox responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh to stay in the game.
In the ninth, an RBI single by Matt Fiedler (Minnesota) brought Cole Krzmarzick (Nevada) in, and gave the Honkers an 8-6 lead that would stand as the Rox could not score any runs in the final half-inning of the game.
The second game of the double header is slated to begin 30 minutes after the completion of the first.
The Rochester Honkers will be back home on Wednesday, June 17th, as they take on the Eau Claire Express. It will be Dairy Day, Presented by Kemp’s. The first 1000 fans will receive a free chocolate milk, and everyone will have a chance to see the “Mooseum” and the Cow Car.
You can follow all the Honkers action on Sports Radio AM 1520 The Ticket with Clinton Cole, and on the Northwoods League Live stream, which can be found at northwoodsleague.com. Just click on the Watch Games Live link.
The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 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 (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com
