(Rochester, Minn.) – A four-run first inning was enough for the Bismarck Larks to defeat the Rochester Honkers 6-1 on Thursday at Bismarck Municipal Park. The Larks move to 14-9 on the year as the Honkers fall to 13-10. The Honkers bats had a tough time getting going as they could muster just five hits in the series opener.
Honkers starting pitcher Zak Devermann (Illinois) was able to settle in after giving six runs through two innings, he finished the night working six innings and gave up six runs on nine hits. Devermann was tagged with his second loss of the year, his record stands at 1-2. Ryan Casper (Point Loma Nazarene) and Alex Baeza (Hawaii) both came in relief to work a scoreless innings a piece.
The Larks wasted no time putting runs on the board as Tristen Carranza (New Mexico State) ripped a two RBI double in the first. Later in the inning, Kyle Stevens (Murray State) came around to score on the only Honker error of the game. Jacob Nesbit (Arkansas) grounded into a double play to cap off the scoring in the first and put the Larks up 4-0.
The Honkers got one back in the second as Matt Hardy (UC Riverside) reached on a single and came around to score on an error by the Larks center fielder.
Bismarck came back in the second to score two as Matthew Warkentin (Xavier) scored on a wild pitch and Carranza drove in his third run of the game with a single to left to put the Larks up 6-1.
Larks starter Hendry Rodriguez (LSU-Alexandria) was dominant throughout his seven innings of work, giving up just one run on three hits and struck out seven to get his second win of the season.
Rochester and Bismarck will play the second of the two-game series on Friday at 7:35 p.m. Cole Quintanilla (Texas) is scheduled to make his fourth start for the Honkers, he has an 0-1 record and has posted a 2.70 ERA. Quintanilla will be up against Carlos Lopez (Alcorn State) from Bismarck, Lopez has posted a 3.85 ERA and a 3-1 record.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods 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 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). 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.
