(Rochester, Minn.)—The Rochester Honkers fell to the Eau Claire Express 6-3 Tuesday night. Tanner Howell (Dixie State) was charged with the loss in his second appearance for Rochester. Erich Uelman (Cal Poly) earned the win for Eau Claire. Victor Sanchez (New Mexico) picked up the save.
The Express came into the contest having lost their first five games of the NWL second half but took an early lead against the streaking Honkers, who had won their first five, on a two run home run in the first inning.
The Honkers would get one back in the third as Slade Heggen (Oregon) would score on a RBI single from leadoff man Alex Schultz (Nebraska-Omaha).
Rochester would take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, as Joe DeRoche-Duffin would bring Schultz and Ryan Webberly (Cal Poly Pomona) in with a 2-RBI double.
Eau Claire would reclaim the lead 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth with four unearned runs as Rochester committed both of their errors of the game in the inning.
Rochester’s hope for a comeback was stymied as Express reliever John Pomeroy (Oregon State) and Sanchez would hold the Honkers hitless over the final four innings.
The Honkers and Express will square off again tomorrow in Eau Claire at 6:35 p.m. Jayson Yano (Stevens Institute) is scheduled to start for the Honkers on the mound. Yano is 5-1 this season for Rochester with a 2.05 ERA.
On Saturday, July 11th, the Honkers will be back at Mayo Field to face the St. Cloud Rox for a double header of seven-inning games starting at 6:05. It will be the Field of Future Stars presented by Meshbesher and Spence. All RYBA, RYSA, RYHA, Girls Softball and Miracle League players wearing their uniform top 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
