Thunder Bay, ON – After clinching a playoff spot Thursday, the St. Cloud Rox (19-9, 43-20) outscored the Thunder Bay Border Cats (12-17, 18-45) 5-2 from the sixth inning onward, but fell just short by a final score of 7-6 on Friday night. The Granite City club still holds the best record in the Northwoods League, and is one game ahead of Mankato in the second half North Division standings.

            St. Cloud trailed 5-1 after five innings, but the offense ramped up in the sixth. Drew Freedman (Nova Southeastern) led off the frame with a single and stole second base. The next batter, Ricky Ramirez (McNeese State), dumped a soft pop up in the outfield for a single that scored Freedman. Brett Pope (Western Carolina) and Mark Skonieczny (Illinois) each posted RBI singles as well in the sixth, cutting the Thunder Bay lead to 5-4

            Mason Mamarella (Kent State) came up to the plate in the top of the ninth inning looking for his first hit of the game with two runners on and one out. He delivered with a blooper down the right field line, which just snuck in fair territory and the ball rolled to the Rox bullpen. This allowed Michael Strem (Boston College) and Freedman to score, tying the game at 6-6 in the ninth.

            Thunder Bay would win the game in the bottom of the ninth, as a single to right brought home Bobby Honeyman who reached on an error.

            Starting pitcher Logan Salow (Kentucky) made his tenth start of the season for St. Cloud, but it was his second shortest outing of the season. Salow logged just four innings, allowing five hits and giving up three earned runs. He recorded four strikeouts, giving him 68 Ks on the season, just three behind the franchise record of 71 set by Reese Gregory in 2014. Bobby Gauvreau (Minnesota State, Mankato) produced a solid outing out of the bullpens he induced two double play balls, and giving up only one, unearned, run.

            The Rox return home to the Rock Pile on Saturday for a showdown with the Mankato MoonDogs in a battle of the top two teams in the North Division. It’s the Battle of the Badges presented by KEEPRS and Country Financial. A night to honor Brian Klinefelter. Pre-game softball battle between police officers and firefighters starting at 4:05PM.

Tonight’s St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Drew Freedman for three hits and two stolen bases. 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.

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.