Campbell nabs two RBIs and extends hit streak to 15 games in win Friday night
(Rochester, Minn.)– The Honkers earned the split in the doubleheader on the Fourth of July, Friday night in Waterloo, with a win over the Bucks, 5-3.
In his second start of the season, Will Bamesberger (Creighton) pitched phenomenally to salvage the day’s doubleheader for the Honkers, avoiding the sweep in Waterloo. Bamesberger threw 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and one walk.
The Honkers used a couple of key hits to help get them to their 21st win this season. Unlike the first game, the Honkers scored the first run of the second game after Jeff Campbell (North Dakota) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Alex Schultz (Nebraska Omaha).
With Bamesberger pitching well and keeping the Bucks off the scoreboard, the one-run lead held up until the Honkers broke the game open and added to their lead in the fifth inning. Campbell drove in the game’s second run on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice, followed by a Casey Fletcher (Illinois) RBI double and a two-run double by John Schuknecht (Cal Poly). Into the bottom of the fifth, the Honkers led 5-0. All five runs were charged to Bucks starter Tim Shannon (Minnesota), who was relieved after the fifth.
Blake Quinn (Fresno State) came on to pitch for Bamesberger with one out and a runner on first base in the sixth inning. Quinn allowed the inherited runner to score on a double by David Kerian (Illinois) and Kerian scored from a double by John Sternagel (Florida). The rally in the fifth for the Bucks brought Waterloo back into the game, but the Honkers still led 5-3.
L.J. Brewster (Hawaii) came on the close the seventh inning and lock down the Honkers win in game two of the doubleheader Friday. He did so successfully, pitching around a lone base hit, earning his first save of the season and holding the Honkers’ 5-3 win in place.
The Honkers and Bucks play their third game in two nights tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. Matt Kent is set to pitch for Rochester on Saturday. Kent has allowed just two earned runs in his last three starts; he earned a no decision in his last outing on June 30 against Waterloo. Ticket information for tomorrow’s game 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.
