Rockford, Ill – The Rox (23-11) at this point sit tied in first place with the Eau Claire Express after a 12-3 loss to the Rockford Rivets. St. Cloud has one game remaining in the first half and that is Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. The Express play on Monday night (7/4) and if they lose to La Crosse, then the Rox still control their destiny for the first half crown and with a win in this circumstance Wednesday will give the club the first division title. In this scenario, St. Cloud would enter Wednesday 0.5 game ahead of Eau Claire. A first half division crown for a team means that team earns an automatic spot in the playoffs in August.

RHP Austin Caspersen (St. Cloud State) provided superb long relief out of the bullpen for St. Cloud. Caspersen came into the game in the second inning and logged 4.1 frames and only surrendered one run. The 3-year veteran with St. Cloud also had 4 strikeouts.

Mason Mamarella (Kent State) and Brett Pope (Western Carolina) both had two-hit games. Mamarella had an RBI single and a double. The double occurred in the 9^th inning on a fly ball that plopped in fair territory down the left field line. St. Cloud tallied 2 runs in the 9^th inning and had 3 hits to begin the frame.

LHP Aaron Rozek (Minnesota State – Mankato) made his 3^rd start of the season and only lasted 1 inning. He walked 4 batters and allowed one hit which was a 3-run double. The Rox pitching staff as a whole walked 10 batters—largest total of the season for a contest.                                                                                                      

The Rox resume action on Tuesday, July 5^th, against the Rockford Rivets in Rockford, Ill. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. CT and the Rox Solid Pregame Warmup starts at 6:00 p.m on 1390 AM The Fan. RHP Austin Dubsky (Murray State) will be the starter for St. Cloud.

St. Cloud returns to Joe Faber Field on Wednesday, July 6^th with a matchup against the Eau Claire Express. This is the first game of the second half of the season. It’s Baseball Bingo night presented by Kwik Trip. Then, on Thursday, July 7^th at the Rockpile, it is Augie Rodriguez Replica Jersey Giveaway presented by Coborn’s, Times Media, and 104.7 KCLD. The first 400 kids 14 years & under will receive a jersey.

Single game tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.stcloudrox.com, by calling (320) 240-9798 or by visiting the Rox ticket office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex.

The St. Cloud Times Player(s) of the Game is Austin Caspersen. The right-hander logged 4.1 innings of relief and only allowed one run.

BOX SCORE – http://northwoods.bbstats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=316924

The St. Cloud Rox are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd 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 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.stcloudrox.com