MANKATO, MINN – The Rochester Honkers were unable to comeback after falling behind early, losing 6-3 in their first matchup against the Mankato MoonDogs at ISG Field. 

Lance Santerre (University of San Francisco) got the start for Rochester and surrendered three runs in the bottom of second. Davis Crane (Bellarmine) drove in the first two with an RBI double and Adam Juran (Western Illinois) brought in the third on an RBI groundout. In the top of the third Rochester got one of those runs back thanks to a pair of Long Beach State Dirtbags. Alex Pimentel drove in Sebastian Murillo with an RBI single to make it 3-1. Unfortunately for Rochester, the MoonDogs put up two more in the bottom half of the inning. Sean Ross (Indiana State) smacked a two run double that was just fair down the left field line, making it a 5-1 Mankato lead. 

The score would stay that way until the top of the seventh. Tyler White (Long Beach State) and Theo Hardy (San Jose State) both singled to lead off the inning and came around to score. White scored on a bases loaded walk to Joe Longo (Michigan) and Hardy came home on a wild pitch, pulling the Honkers within two. In the bottom of the seventh it looked like the MoonDogs would pull away. But with the bases loaded and one out David Rodriguez (Delta College) came in and put out the fire. He got a strikeout and pop up to escape the jam. 

Rodriguez was unable to get out of another sticky situation in the eighth. With a runner on second and two outs he allowed an RBI single to Sean Ross. His third RBI of the night made it 6-3 MoonDogs. In the ninth Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State) locked down the MoonDogs win by retiring the side in order. 

The Honkers drop their second in a row and fall to 3-6 this season. Rochester looks for the series split tomorrow night with Sam Hanson (Saint John’s University) getting the start. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. on Jurassic Park Night at Mayo Field!