(Rochester, Minn.) – The Rochester Honkers (8-8) earned their largest victory of the season (eight) in a 13-5 game two win Wednesday against the La Crosse Loggers (5-11) Mike Echavia (Nevada) and Zach Zubia (Texas) combined for four home runs in the game, accounting for 10 of the Honkers’ runs. The Honkers put 22 runs on 29 hits against the Loggers during the doubleheader.
Chia-Ching Ho (National Taiwan Sports University) pitched a scoreless first inning, but ran into trouble in the second. Ho gave up a leadoff double and walked three batters, allowing the first run of the game to score. He did not return to the game in the third after hitting the pitch count limit in the second.
The Honker offense hit three home runs in an 11-9 loss to La Crosse and showed no signs of slowing down in game two. With two runners on-base, Mike Echavia (Nevada) hit a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right-center field, giving the Honkers their first lead of the game. Zach Zubia (Texas) followed with a solo home run.
Nick Schranck (UT-Rio Grand Valley) responded for the Loggers in the fourth inning with a solo home run, his first of the season.
Two Honkers were on base for Zach Zubia in the fifth inning. The Honkers first baseman brought them home with his second home run in consecutive at-bats.
Leading 7-3, Rochester piled it on again in the fifth inning. With one out, Rees Rua (Lake Erie) singled in a pair of Honkers. Two batters, later Mike Echavia hit a three-run home run over the center field fence to extend the Honkers’ lead to nine runs.
La Crosse was not finished yet. They put up two runs in the top of the sixth inning, including the second solo home run of the game from Nick Schranck.
The comeback ultimately fell short as the Honkers secured an eight-run victory. Garrett Cobb (Seminole State) pitched the final two innings, holding the Loggers to just two hits.
Spencer Johnson (Wayne State) earned the win for the Honkers (2-0) after pitching four innings tonight. He gave up four runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
The Honkers head on the road tomorrow night to take on the Mankato MoonDogs at Franklin Rogers Park. First pitch Thursday night is 7:05 p.m. Eddie Mathis (Bellarmine) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Flock. Mathis is 1-2 this season with an 11.00 ERA.
The next home game is Saturday, June 17th against the Waterloo Bucks. It is First Responders Night at Mayo Field. Show your First Responders ID and get a free general admission ticket.
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