Inside the Fowl Lines – Week 1
By: Matt Riebe, Media Relations, Rochester Honkers
(Rochester, Minn.) – The opening week of the 2017 college baseball season has started. A few future Honkers made their season debuts last weekend, here is a recap of what happened.
Zach Stone (RHP) and Brad Pluschkell (INF) – UC Davis Aggies (1-1)
Brad Pluschkell played second base of the Aggies in the season opener vs. Saint Mary’s in Las Vegas, Nev. He went 0-4, but brought in a run and also walked once. Zach Stone saw his first action of the season in the 8th inning of a 8-3 win over UNLV. He pitched the final two frames, giving up no runs on three hits, two walks, and a strikeout. Pluschkell went 1-5 with a strikeout in the game as well. The Aggies take on Pacific on Tuesday before a 3-game series vs. Utah Valley.
Ryan Thompson (RHP) – Illinois (1-3)
Ryan Thompson pitched his first game of the season in the Illini’s third season game. Thompson threw 1.2 innings in relief, giving up 4 runs on no hits, walking five batters. Illinois split two games to Milwaukee and dropped both to the host Lamar. The Illini next head to Corpus Christi, Tex. to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston, and Missouri starting on Friday.
Dustin Demeter (INF) – Hawaii (1-2)
Dustin Demeter played shortstop in two games in the three game series against #6 NC State. He combined to go 0-5 from the plate, with a walk and three strikeouts. The Rainbow Warriors responded to the opening day 0-4 loss with a 8-3 win in game two, but fell on Sunday 1-8. Hawaii next hosts San Francisco for a 4-game series starting on Thursday.
Blake Workman (RHP) – #16 Cal State Fullerton (2-1)
Blake Workman saw his first work on the mound in the 6th inning of Sunday’s game against #18 Stanford. He pitched two innings, giving up one run on two hits, while striking out two Cardinals. The Titans ended up losing the game 6-7 in 11 innings. Cal. State Fullerton takes on the NC Dinos from Korea in an exhibition game on Tuesday, before a home game against San Diego State. They finish up the week on the road at UNLV for a 3-game series.
Highlight Moment of the Week
Beau O’Hara (RHP) – Texas (2-2)
Beau O’Hara made his season debut in the 7th inning (final inning) in game one of a doubleheader against #23 Rice. Texas entered the inning with a 5-1 lead, but the Owls made a furious comeback, scoring three runs on four hits. O’Hara inherited runners on first and second with two outs, leading 5-4. The first and only batter he faced singled to left, but the runner from second base was thrown out at home for the final out of the game, earning O’Hara his first save of the season. Beau also pitched one inning on Sunday in a 1-7 loss to Rice. He gave up one run on one hit and a walk. Texas travels to Sam Houston State for a game on Wednesday before a 3-game weekend home series against Connecticut.
