The Rochester Honkers (10-2) battled the La Crosse Loggers (3-7) in a Great Plains East matchup at Mayo Field. Daniel Zang (Dakota County Technical College) took the mound for Rochester, while Jalen Worthley (Nebraska) got the ball for La Crosse.

Early on, it looked like the Honkers would run away with the ballgame as Rochester loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. Griffen Sotomayor (Washington State) grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

The Honkers would not be denied the following inning. Kimo Fukofuka (San Jose State) led off with a double that nearly cleared the wall in center field, and Alec Gomez (Orange Coast College) doubled him in.

Rochester would go on to score five runs in the second. Nico Regino (Charleston Southern) capped off the frame with a two-run single.

Zang continued to pitch well but faltered a bit in the third as La Crosse scratched a run across. He would pitch into the sixth inning but was replaced by Michael Banderas (San Joaquin Delta College) after allowing the first two batters to reach base.

Those runners eventually came around to score, and the Loggers cut the lead to just 5-3. The Honkers answered in the bottom half of the sixth as Gomez led off with a solo home run to left, and Tyler White (Long Beach State) reached on an error, stole two bases, and then scored on a wild pitch.

The Loggers pulled back within two in the eighth inning after Ben Zeigler-Namoa (Hawaii) crushed a pinch-hit home run off the facade of the apartments in right-center field. This was the closest of the four games the Loggers and the Honkers had played all season, and it would ultimately come down to the wire.

Kaden Wickersham (Hutchinson Community College) came in to close the game in the ninth and did so without any trouble. He retired the Loggers in order in the ninth. This win was Rochester’s sixth in a row, and the Honkers became the first Northwoods League team to reach ten wins in 2023.

Rochester will be back in action tomorrow to begin a home-and-home series against the Mankato MoonDogs. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m, and you can stream the game live on the Northwoods League Baseball Network or the Honkers radio network on Mixlr.

The Rochester Honkers began their 30th season of play on May 29th. Keep up with the team on social media by following them on Twitter (@RochHonkers) and Instagram (@honkersbaseball) and like the Honkers on Facebook at Rochester Honkers Baseball Club. Interact on social by using the hashtag #FunForTheWholeFlock!

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 310 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.