St. Cloud, MN – RJ Martinez (Minot State) pitched a complete game on the mound as St. Cloud (12-10) defeated Willmar (15-8) by a final score of 8-1 at the Rock Pile. The Rox have won four games in a row, their longest win streak of the season.

The scoring began with a pair of runs in the sixth inning as Jordan Barth (Augustana) drilled an RBI-double to the gap in right field, scoring Hance Smith (California-Berkeley) from second base. Parker Smejkal (Nebraska-Omaha) later hit an RBI-single to left field and gave the Rox a 2-0 lead.

Looking for insurance runs in the eighth inning, St. Cloud received just that as they scored six runs and batted through their lineup. With the bases loaded, Smejkal hit a sac-fly RBI to center field and scored Smith from third base. Gus Steiger (South Dakota State) would later drive a 2-RBI single to right field that scored Barth and Garrett Delano (Brown).

Tyler Finke (Southeastern Louisiana), who finished 3-4 at the plate, singled through the 5-6 gap and scored Brett Bonar (Nebraska-Omaha), who was put on base after an intentional walk. Brady Harlan (Oklahoma) capped off the inning with a 2-RBI single to left field that scored Steiger and Finke. It finished as a six run eighth inning for the Rox.

Martinez, who claimed his third consecutive win on the mound, finished with seven strikeouts and did not walk a batter in his complete game victory.

For the full box score from Tuesday’s game, click here.

St. Cloud will be back at home on Wednesday against the Willmar Stingers with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch time. The national entertainment act ZOOperstars will be at the Rock Pile. It’s also Blue Line Sports Bar and Grill Gift Card Night. The first 250 fans 21 and older will receive a gift card with various dollar amounts to be redeemed at either Blue Line-Sartell or Blue Line-South.

All single games tickets – including to the home opener – can be purchased now in person at the Rox Ticket Office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex, by calling the Rox Ticket office at 320-240-9798 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday or 24 hours a day by visiting www.stcloudrox.com.

The St. Cloud Rox are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA).  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 or on Google Play and set the Rox as your favorite team.

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