Rox Sweep Double-Header With Express

St. Cloud, Minn. – The St. Cloud Rox (8-4, 32-15) moved into first place in the North Division and claimed the best overall record in the Northwoods League by sweeping a double-header against the Eau Claire Express (7-4, 32-17) Thursday, winning game one 7-5 and game two 5-0.

Game one started with the Rox holding a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning, continuing the postponed game from July 7^th. The Express took a 4-3 lead by scoring twice in the top of the fourth inning, but the Rox offense would answer with a crooked number of it’s own in the bottom of the inning.

Brett Pope (Western Carolina) led off the fourth with a double and came home to score two batters later on a Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) single. The next two batters also recorded hits, as Marcus Carson (Kentucky) singled and Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State) roped an RBI double. Luke Ringhofer (South Dakota State) had the biggest hit of the inning with a two run single, pushing the lead to 7-4.

RInghofer shined in the game despite the postponement. He finished the game with two hits and three RBI. Carson, Bobo, and Pope also had multi-hit games.

Carlo Graffeo (Southeastern Louisiana) started the game in the fourth inning. He threw 3.2 innings and struck out three batters. All-Star Collin Strall (LSU) came in and tossed 1.1 scoreless relief innings, his third straight scoreless outing. Brian Glowicki (Minnesota) then came on and shut down the Express in the ninth for his fourth save of the year. Glowicki has not allowed a run in his six appearances this season.

The Rox offense continued to be hot in the second game, plating two runs in the opening inning. Mason Mamarella (Kent State) and Ramirez led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Then sacrifices from Ringhofer and Michael Strem (Boston College) delivered the first run of the game. Denis Karas (Cal, Berkeley) hit his team-leading 13^th double of the year for the second run of the inning.

Karas would drive in another run in the third with an RBI single. Carson hit a two-out double in the fourth and scored following back-to-back singles from Brandon Benson (Georgia College and State University) and Mamarella. The Rox would add an insurance run in the fifth, with Ringhofer walking, Strem doubling, and Pope driving in Ringhofer.

Dan Metzdorf (Boston College) impressed all night on the mound, lasting five innings without allowing a run on five hits and two strikeouts. It was Metzdorf’s second shutout performance this season, the first coming on July 1^st against La Crosse.

The Rox and Express will meet again at Joe Faber Field on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. It’s Summertime St. Patty’s Night presented by Grand Casino. It’s all green! There will also be Friday Night Fireworks presented by Franklin Graphics.

Tonight’s game one St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Luke Ringhofer. The game two Player of the Game was Dan Metzdorf. 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 for game one and game two.

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 or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.