(Rochester, Minn.) – Both the Rochester Honkers and the Willmar Stingers offenses electrified but the Stingers were able to just pull away to secure a 12-10 victory Saturday at Mayo Field. The win gives the Stingers a share of the second half lead as they move to 15-6 in the second half and 37-19 overall. The Honkers lost their second straight to fall to 10-11 and 27-30.
The Stingers wasted no time putting up four runs in the first. Matt Rudick (San Diego State) came around score on an error and put the Stingers up 1-0. Shea Kramer (Utah) drew a walk with the bases loaded to plate another run. Davis Elliott (North Alabama) beat out a slow roller to shortstop to bring home a run, on the same play Joey Ortiz (New Mexico State) came around to score on an error to put Willmar up 4-0.
The Honkers responded with a six run first. Alex McGarry (Oregon State) launched a two-run home run to cut the Stingers lead to 4-2. Austin Schell (Golden West) ripped an RBI single to drive in his third run of the year and cut the Willmar lead to 4-3. Casey Dunlap (Point Loma Nazarene) singled up the middle to plate two runs and put the Honkers up 5-4. McGarry capped off the scoring drawing a bases loaded walk and drive in this third run of the inning.
The Stingers took back the lead in the second. John Trousdale (Alabama) got the rally started as he singled to right to bring home the first run of the second. Eric Yang (UC Santa Barbara) drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game at six. Kramer drove in a run with a ground out to give the Stingers a 7-6 lead. Jaxon Hallmark (Nebraska) walked with the bases loaded to bring another run and cap off the scoring in the second.
The Honkers got a run back in the second as Schell singled to drive in his second run of the game and cut the Stingers lead to 8-7.
Matt Hardy (UC Riverside) put the Honkers on top in the third as he crushed a two-run home run to put Rochester up 9-8.
Willmar fought back in the sixth as Hallmark hit a sacrifice fly to center field to even up the score at nine.
Christian Robinson (Stanford) gave the Honkers another lead in the sixth he ripped his team-leading eighth home run of the season to put the Honkers up 10-9.
The Stingers gained a one run advantage in the seventh after Trousdale crushed a two-run home run to put Willmar up 11-10.
Kramer gave Willmar an insurance run in the ninth, he drove in his third run of the game with a single to extend the Stingers lead to 12-10.
Saturday was the second game in a row that Robinson homered in. Additionally, Robinson went 2-for-4 to post his 13th multi-hit game of the season. Schell finished the game 3-for-5 to give him his second multi-hit game for the Honkers. Michael Michalak (Illinois) went 2-for-5 and scored a run.
Honkers starting pitcher Cole Quintanilla (Texas) worked one inning due to reaching a pitch count and surrendered four runs on two hits. None of the runs were earned. Zach Sundine (Lamar CC) also pitched one inning due to reaching a pitch count, he gave up four runs on two hits. Logan Nissen (Bethany Lutheran) was able to quiet the Stingers offense throwing three scoreless innings. Michael Brandt (Augustana) came in to pitch one inning and gave up one run. Ryan Dorney (St. Martin’s) took the loss in relief after throwing three innings and surrendering three runs on six hits.
Ben Mora (Cal Poly Pomona) picked up his fifth win in relief, Mora spun 3 2/3 innings giving up one run on one hit.
The Honkers and the Stingers finish the two-game series Sunday at Mayo Field. Matteo Bocchi (Texas) is scheduled to start for the Honkers, Bocchi has recorded a 1-1 record and a 3.85 ERA. Bocchi will be matched up against Matt Dentoni (Delta College) from Willmar, Dentoni has a 3-1 record and a 4.17 ERA. Sunday is Slider’s Kids Club Day presented by Overby Orthodontics. Kids eat free on the Sports Deck and run the bases after the game. It is also Bob the Bug Man “Swatter Series.” First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 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. 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.
