St. Cloud, Minn. – Terrific nights at the plate by Ben DeLuzio (Florida State) and Brandon Benson (Georgia State and College University) coupled with a quality start from Carlo Graffeo (Southeastern Louisiana) delivered the Rox (4-1 second half, 28-12 overall) to their fourth straight victory with an 8-5 win over the Willmar Stingers (4-3 second half, 22-20 overall).

Benson and DeLuzio each turned in three hit nights at the dish. Benson drove in three runs, with DeLuzio coming in to score on each of those.

Graffeo got tagged early in the game, with Willmar putting an unearned run on the board in the opening frame. He would settle in from there, ultimately lasting 6.0 innings without allowing an earned run and striking out seven batters.

The Rox bats were alive early, scoring a run in each of the first three innings. Michael Strem (Boston College) singled home Marcus Carson (Kentucky) in the first to tie the game. Benson got his first hit of the night in the second, singling home DeLuzio.

Strem drove in another run in the third, driving a double that brought home Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State). St. Cloud put up another run in the fifth when Luke Ringhofer (South Dakota State) and Denis Karas (Cal Berkeley) each doubled.

The late innings would feature a pair of runs from the Rox in two separate innings. In the sixth it was Benson and Ramirez driving in a run a piece, and they did the same thing later in the eighth.

Willmar would stage a comeback effort in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs to cut the St. Cloud lead to 6-4, but that would be the closest they would get.

Austin Dubsky (Murray State), a normal starter, came on in the ninth inning for the Rox to close out the game. An early single against Dubsky was erased with a 6-4-3 double play.

The Rox remain at the top of the division for the second half, and overall standings with the win. It was the Rox fourth win against the Stingers this season, meaning they will at least tie the eight game regular season series.

Tonight’s game one St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Brandon Benson for his efforts at the plate. For more coverage of the Rox during the 2016 season visit www.sctimes.com.

For more stats and information about the game, here is the boxscore.

The Rox will travel to WIllmar for another game against the Stingers on Wednesday, before returning to the Rock Pile on Thursday to take on the Mankato MoonDogs. Thursday's game will feature a Rox Seat Cushion Giveaway presented by Media for the first 300 fans 60 and older. It will also be Polka Night presented by 1150AM KASM.

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 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