(Rochester, Minn.) –  The Rochester Honkers defeated the Duluth Huskies 5-2 at Wade Stadium in Duluth Thursday night.

Ricky Delgado led the Honkers as he went seven innings, allowed two runs, none of them earned, on five hits and struck out three.

The Honkers scored four of their runs in the top of the second inning. It started with Cole Heavilin (Wagner College) hitting a single with the bases loaded to score one run. Josh Hauser (UT-Martin) followed with a sacrifice fly to score a run, and then Kyle Kasser (Oregon) hit a two-RBI-double to score Turner Buis (Cal State Fullerton) and Heavilin.

The Huskies came back and score two runs in the bottom part of the third. Austin Bernard (Pepperdine) hit a single to score Danny Amaral (UCLA), and then Bernard came in on a single from Dillion Paulson (Southern California).

The Honkers got an insurance run in the ninth when Casey Worden hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Buis to take a 5-2 lead.

Stevie Ledesma (3) (Santa Barbara City) pitched the final two innings to get the save for the Honkers; he allowed no runs, walked two and struck out four.

Fred Manke (0-3) (Minnesota) got the start and the loss for the Huskies; he went seven innings, allowed four runs, three of them earned, on four hits, walked five and struck out one. Alex Ferguson (Minnesota-Duluth) pitched the final two innings of relief; he allowed one run, unearned, on three hits, walked two and struck out three.

Kasser went 2-for-5 with a RBI to lead the Honkers, while Bernard went 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored to lead the Huskies.

The Honkers move to 20-49 overall and 13-21 in the second half with the win, while the Huskies fall to 28-41 overall and 10-23 in the second half with the loss.

The Honkers are in Duluth tomorrow to finish the series, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. Saturday and Sunday the Honkers will go to La Crosse to battle the Loggers. First pitch on Saturday is set for 6:05 p.m. and Sunday’s first pitch is set for 5:05 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!