(Duluth, Minn.) – The Rochester Honkers (14-18 Second Half, 30-37 Overall) dropped their final road game of the season to the Duluth Huskies (16-19, 31-39) by a score of 7-3 on Friday night at Wade Stadium. Zach Zubia (Texas) broke the Northwoods League single-season extra-base hits record with a double to the left-field corner in the sixth inning. It was his 40th extra-base hit which also drove in his 61st run, tying a single-season team RBI record.
Duluth took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning after a one-out walk led to a run on a RBI double by the Huskies second baseman, Chase Strumpf (UCLA).
After a Rochester error allowed the leadoff batter to reach base in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Huskies extended their lead on a RBI double by Rob Emery (San Francisco). Two batters later, Jack Stronach (UCLA) hit into a double play, but scored Emery for the third Duluth run.
The Honkers managed one hit through five innings, but found their groove in the top of the sixth inning. A Duluth error allowed the leadoff batter, Griffin Neuer (Bellarmine), to reach base. Zubia and Konnor Zickefoose (UC Irvine) hit back-to-back doubles, pulling the Honkers within a run of the lead. David Noworyta (Hawaii) tied the game with two outs on an RBI single which scored Zickefoose from third base.
Jordan Hovey (Jefferson) gave the Huskies the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on a RBI double, which scored Stronach from first base. Noworyta later threw out Hovey trying to steal third base for a key second out. Drew Slade (Ripon) struck out Jake Smith (St. Thomas) to end the inning.
The Huskies scored three insurance runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth inning, putting the game out of reach. Joe Gonrowski (St. Scholastica) pitched two scoreless innings to close the game and earn his fourth save of the season.
Greg (Tre) Brown (San Diego State) earned the win (2-3) for the Huskies. He pitched one scoreless inning without giving up a hit and striking out one batter.
Slade took the loss (5-3) for the Honkers. He pitched seven innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six batters and walking one.
The Honkers return home tomorrow, August 12, to start the final series of the season against the Mankato MoonDogs. It will be a Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by Kerry and ABC 6 News. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Michael Stryffeler (Lake Erie) is scheduled to start for the Honkers. Stryffeler has 31 strikeouts in 37.2 innings this season.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). 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 or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.
