St. Cloud, MN. – After three straight losses, the Honkers bounced back Friday with a 4-3 win over the St. Cloud Rox to improve their record to 6-5.
Evan Larsen (Cal State-Fullerton) got the start for the Honkers and he impressed by only allowing two hits and one run in four innings of work.
Rochester got the scoring started in the third inning when Aaron Simmons (UW-Stevens Point) hit a bases-loaded single scoring Evan Berkey (Cal State-Bakersfield) to put the Honkers up 1-0. Unfortunately, a fielder’s choice ended Rochester’s scoring threat.
St. Cloud tied the game in their next at-bat when a Gus Steiger single scored Ben Carew.
After the fourth inning, Larsen was relieved by Evan Layne (Lake Erie College).
The Honkers took the lead for good in the sixth inning. After a walk to Seth Nelson (Golden West College), Jack Thelen (UW-Milwaukee) crushed a two-run home run. But the scoring didn’t stop there. Berkey got on first via a hit-by-pitch and then Tristan Peterson (New Mexico State) hit a triple to score Berkey putting the Honkers up 4-1.
Rochester’s bullpen would take care of the rest game as Layne, Marc Bisogno (Fordham) and Marty Tolson Jr. (Maryland-Eastern Shore) combined to pitch five scoreless innings to preserve the Honker’s sixth win.
Layne was the winning pitcher and Tolson Jr. earned the save. The Honkers will look to complete the sweep Saturday, June 8, when they host the Rox in a 6:05 p.m. start.
The Honkers travel to Waterloo tomorrow before returning to Mayo Field on Monday to take on the Bucks before a three-game series with the Bismarck Larks. The Honkers return home Friday to begin a six-game homestand against these same Rox.
Season tickets and new all-you-can-eat ticket packages are available for purchase right now at www.RochesterHonkers.com or by calling the Honkers front office at 507-289-1170.
The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 26th 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, over 200 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 (MIA). 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.
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