(Rochester, Minn.)—The Rochester Honkers fell tonight, June 30th, at Waterloo 10-8 after trailing 10-0 in the second inning. Greg Jakusik (Stevens Institute) was charged with the loss for Rochester. Brian Drapeau (Long Island) earned the win for Waterloo and Frank Rubio (Florida) picked up the save.
Waterloo dominated in the early parts of the game, and the Honkers found themselves down 10-0 after just two innings. All 10 runs were charged to Jakusik. Drapeau had the Honkers off balance at the plate for the majority of the game as Rochester mustered just three hits against the Waterloo starter in his six innings on the mound.
The Honkers had an opportunity to come back, as their combined relief staff of Matt Walker (UCLA), Ryan Boelter (Gardner Webb) and Spencer Greer (Dixie State) combined to allow just six hits in the final six and a third innings of the game for the Rochester defense.
The Honkers Bats finally took advantage in the seventh. The Rochester side scored four, two on RBI doubles by Sam Hall (Dixie State) and William Paschal (Georgia Gwinnett) and two more Paschal and Ryan Summers (Lousiville) scored a pair of unearned runs.
The rally continued in the eighth as Cole Krzmarzick (Nevada) an unearned run after reaching base on an outfield error. Hall, Paschal and Summers all scored their second runs of the game to pull it to 10-8 and to give the Honkers an Opportunity to steal the game late.
In the ninth, with one out, Adam Walton (Illinois) and Hall both singled to reach base, and Paschal was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Honkers. Summer’s then grounded into a double play, ending the Honkers’ threat and securing the game for Waterloo.
The Honkers will be back at Mayo Field tomorrow, July 1st, to face the Battle Creek Bombers at 7:05. It will be First Responders Night, and all First Responders who show their First Responder IDs will gain free admission to the game.
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
