Rox rally late to beat the Honkers, 5-4, after walk-off sacrifice fly
(Rochester, Minn.)— Some late-inning heroics by the Rox’s Chris Paul (California-Berkeley) end the Honkers’ four-game win streak. The Honkers lose to the Rox in extra innings, 5-4.
Connor Schaefbauer (Minnesota) helped the Honkers get on the board in the first inning for the second straight game, hitting a triple with one out and scoring on a two-out single by Casey Fletcher (Illinois). The Rox tied it up in the third after Mitchell Kranson (California-Berkeley) homered for the second straight game to tie it at one.
The Honkers answered and leapt to a three-run lead in the fourth inning after back-to-back two out doubles by Reid Roper (Illinois) and Blaise Lezynski (Notre Dame) and a Parker Guinn (Washington) single helped the Honkers to get back on top, 4-1.
The Honkers needed one more out to sweep the Rox in the day’s doubleheader in their first series this season. But, one of the league’s leading hitters, Paul, hit a three-run home run off of Honkers reliever L.J. Brewster (Hawaii) to tie the game at four in the bottom of the seventh inning, spoiling another good outing for Honkers starter, Spencer Greer (Western Nevada Community College). Greer pitched five strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits and no walks.
It took two more innings to decide the game, but in the bottom of the ninth inning, Paul stood at the plate with the bases loaded and one out against righty Carl Jameson (Missouri Baptist). He hit a fly ball deep enough to right field for the runner to score from third base. The Rox completed their late-inning rally to come back and beat the Honkers, 5-4.
Tomorrow, the Honkers visit the Stingers to play their first series in Willmar this summer. The two teams are even against one another, splitting the season series at two wins a piece. Logan Spitzack (St. Cloud State) is set to make his fourth start of the season. The Honkers head back home on Monday to play a home and home series with the Waterloo Bucks as part of the SCHEELS Highway 63 Cup. The two games are the final of the first of the season for both teams. The game at Mayo Field is slated for a 1:05 p.m. start time. Ticket information can be found at rochesterhonkers.com.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET), Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visitwww.rochesterhonkers.com.
