(Rochester, Minn.)—The Rochester Honkers defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers 8-3 tonight (June 23rd) at Mayo Field. Greg Jakusik (Stevens Institute) got the win for the Honkers, moving him to 2-2 on the season. Aaron Tadian (Kent State)was charged with the loss for Kalamazoo, who are a Northwoods League worst 7-22. Rochester kept themselves in contention in the North Division first half race and now sit at 16-11.
Matt Fiedler (Minnesota) led the Honkers while going 2-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Both teams had scoring opportunities that they failed to capitalize on, as both Rochester and Kalamazoo finished the game with nine runners left on base. In the fifth inning, when the Honkers took their first lead, the bases were loaded with no outs, but the Honkers managed just one run before being retired, and that run came on a walk.
Kalamazoo struck first, with three runs off Jakusik in the second inning, ensuring that the Honkers would play form behind as they often have recently.
Rochester began their comeback in the fourth inning, when Alex Schultz (Nebraska-Omaha) stole home. A RBI single by Slade Heggen (Oregon) brought Fiedler home, cutting the Growlers to a 3-2 lead.
The Honkers took the lead in the fifth on a pair of runs walked in, the first coming when Fielder was hit by a pitch square in the chest, the second when Joe DeRoche-Duffin (UCONN) drew a walk.
With a 4-3 lead, the Honkers added to the gap as Adam Walton (Illinois) scored in his first game as a Honker came home on a RBI double from Connor Schaefbauer (Minnesota).
Fiedler picked up his second RBI and Heggen got two more batted-in in the eighth to give the Honkers a comfortable cushion and secure their 8-3 victory.
The Honkers next home game will be tomorrow, June 24th, against the Kalamazoo Growlers. It will be “Team-up Kickoff Night presented by Meshbesher and Spence, as well as Mayo Clinic Transplant Center Tonight and Mayo Endocrinology Night. The game begins at 7:05 and gates open at 6.
All of the Honkers games can be found live on Sports Radio AM 1520 The Ticket with Clinton Cole. You can also listen for free at www.rochesterhonkers.com by clicking on the Listen to Games Live link. Live video streams of the games are available via the Northwoods league Live Stream, powered by Stretch Internet. To access, just visit www.northwoodsleague.com and click on the Watch Games Live link at the bottom of the page.
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
