{"id":17415,"date":"2026-07-26T01:21:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T06:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/rochester-honkers\/?p=17415"},"modified":"2026-07-26T01:21:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T06:21:40","slug":"honkers-fall-in-extra-inning-shootout-to-bucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/rochester-honkers\/2026\/07\/26\/honkers-fall-in-extra-inning-shootout-to-bucks\/","title":{"rendered":"Honkers Fall in Extra-Inning Shootout to Bucks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rochester, Minn.<\/strong> \u2013 The Rochester Honkers came up just short in one of the wildest games of the summer, falling 13-12 to the Waterloo Bucks in 10 innings Monday night at Mayo Field. Waterloo snapped its 10-game losing streak after surviving a furious Rochester comeback in a game that featured plenty of offense, dramatic momentum swings, and several memorable firsts.<\/p>\n

The victory also marked the 300th career managerial win for Waterloo field manager Darrell Handelsman.<\/p>\n

After the game, Handelsman reflected on the milestone and what it meant to accomplish it after his club had endured a 10-game skid.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, I mean, getting to 299 was pretty simple, and it took us a little while to get to 300. So I’m glad we got over the hump there, and these guys are awesome,” Handelsman said. “Our players, they’ve been battling and playing hard, and to not get disappointed there in the ninth inning. We’ve had some really disappointing things happen to us in the last week and a half.”<\/p>\n

Aaron Terpstra made his Honkers debut after receiving the starting nod from manager Jason Jacome. The Rochester native, fresh off his sophomore season at Rochester Community and Technical College, wasted no time making an impression. Terpstra struck out the side in the opening inning, becoming the first Honkers pitcher to do so at Mayo Field this season.<\/p>\n

Waterloo starter Sam Skarich matched him early, retiring Rochester in order in the first inning as both pitchers cruised through the opening frames.<\/p>\n

What initially looked like it might develop into a pitchers’ duel quickly transformed into an offensive showcase.<\/p>\n

The Bucks broke through in the fourth inning after four walks and a hit-by-pitch allowed two runs to score, giving Waterloo the first lead of the night.<\/p>\n

Rochester answered in the bottom half. Ezekiel Mendoza led off the inning with a double before Mike Polubinski lined an RBI single into the outfield to cut the deficit to 2-1.<\/p>\n

Terpstra followed with a scoreless inning, giving the offense another opportunity. Angel Santiago capitalized immediately, launching a solo home run over the left-field wall to tie the game at 2-2. It was only the beginning of a long night for the left-field fence.<\/p>\n

Waterloo regained control in the fifth. John Wubben opened the inning with a single before Aidan Davis successfully laid down a bunt to put two runners aboard. Anthony Coluzzi followed with an RBI double to score Wubben, and a sacrifice fly extended the lead. The Bucks continued to string together quality at-bats with a walk and three more singles before the inning finally came to an end. Waterloo scored five runs in the frame to open a 7-2 advantage.<\/p>\n

The Honkers immediately began to chip away. Mendoza stayed hot at the plate, jumping on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth and sending a solo home run over the left-field wall to trim the deficit to 7-3.<\/p>\n

Ethan Peters came on in relief and eventually settled in after Waterloo added another run to stretch its lead to 8-3. Brady Baur then kept Rochester quiet, giving the Bucks another chance to add insurance.<\/p>\n

Bubby Dotzan-Campbell delivered, blasting the first of his two home runs on the night to increase Waterloo’s lead to 9-3.<\/p>\n

The Honkers mounted their biggest rally of the game in the sixth against Cade Nolan. Ryan Drumm started the inning with a solo home run to left before Polubinski singled. Rochester continued to apply pressure with two more hits and a hit-by-pitch, plating four runs to cut the deficit to 9-7.<\/p>\n

Peters answered with another scoreless inning, handing the offense yet another chance.<\/p>\n

Mendoza singled to begin the seventh before Drumm drove him home with an RBI double, bringing Rochester within a run at 9-8.<\/p>\n

Waterloo answered once again as Dotzan-Campbell crushed his second two-run homer of the evening to give the Bucks valuable insurance.<\/p>\n

After the game, Dotzan-Campbell explained the adjustment that fueled his breakout performance.<\/p>\n

“First two at-bats, I was late on the ball, and obviously I had two strikeouts. I came back, and Skip told me to get on time and get my foot down. I got my foot down, and I put two over the fence.”<\/p>\n

The Bucks added another run in the top of the ninth, leaving Rochester needing four runs in its final at-bat.<\/p>\n

The Honkers refused to go quietly.<\/p>\n

Drumm led off the inning with his second home run of the night before Polubinski singled and Matt Maize was hit by a pitch. With two runners aboard, Santiago battled through the at-bat before reaching out and hooking a breaking ball just inside the left-field foul pole for a dramatic game-tying three-run home run, knotting the score at 12-12 and sending the Mayo Field crowd into a frenzy.<\/p>\n

Waterloo had one final answer.<\/p>\n

The Bucks pushed across the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the top of the 10th inning, and Rochester was unable to respond in the bottom half as Waterloo escaped with a 13-12 victory.<\/p>\n

The Honkers return to Mayo Field on Tuesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.<\/p>\n

####<\/em><\/p>\n

The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its\u2019 32nd<\/sup>\u00a0season, 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, 360 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 two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford \u00a0and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). 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. League games are viewable live at\u00a0<\/em>watchnwl.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and on ESPN+. For more information, visit\u00a0<\/em>www.rochesterhonkers.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.<\/em><\/p>\n

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