(Rochester, Minn.) – The Honkers fell 3-1 to the Kalamazoo Growlers in Kalamazoo Saturday night. The Growlers scored two runs to break a 1-1 tie in the third inning to earn the win.
The Growlers took a 1-0 lead when Nick Hutchins (Southern Illinois) hit a RBI double in the bottom of the first. The Honkers tied the game in the second on a solo home run by Casey Worden (UC Riverside).
The Growlers retook the lead for good in the third; Trey Ganns (Northern Kentucky) hit an RBI single, which was followed by a Brady Cherry (Ohio State) RBI double, making the score 3-1.
David Worrell (0-2) (Corpus Christi) got the start and the loss for the Honkers; he pitched seven innings, allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out four. Bayley Chesterton (Riverside City College) pitched a perfect eighth inning in relief.
Jacob Piechota (1-0) (Western Michigan) got the start and the win for the Growlers; he pitched eight innings, allowed one run on seven hits, walked one and struck out one. Austin Rodesky (Findlay) got the save (3) for the Growlers; he pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Joey Czarske (Cal State Northridge) went 2 for 4 to lead the Honkers offense, along with Alex Fitchett (Hawaii) who was also 2 for 4.
Connor Smith (Western Michigan) went 1 for 3 with two runs scored to pace the Growlers offense.
With the loss the Honkers fall to 5-19, while the Growlers advance to 15-12.
The Honkers play the same Growlers team Sunday in Kalamazoo, with first pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. Rochester will be back at home Monday to start a two-game series with the Thunder Bay Border Cats. Monday is FLY RST NIGHT with ABC 6 News, where a travel voucher valued at $400.00 will be given away! First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6:00 p.m.
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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 23rd 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 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Honkers as your favorite team