St. Cloud, MN – Sam Ireland (Minnesota) had two hits, but St. Cloud (5-6) dropped a close game in the series opener to Waterloo (9-5) by a score of 5-4.

St. Cloud went ahead 1-0 in the first inning after loading the bases. Garett Delano (Mercer) scored Nick Marinconz (Cal Poly) on a groundout to the right side of the infield.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Marinconz blooped a two-out single to shallow right field that scored Ireland.

Down a run in the fifth inning, Jordan Barth (Augustana) crushed a leadoff home run to left field that tied the game at three. It was his first long ball of the season.

In the eighth inning, the go-ahead run was on third base for the Rox. Ireland blasted a two-out single up the middle that scored Delano and put St. Cloud in the lead 4-3.

Like Albright (Kent State) got the start for the Rox and hurled four innings. He was followed by Will Anderson (Minnesota), Joey Stock (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Tyson Heaton (BYU), Nate Peterson (Oklahoma State) and Blake Stelzer (Concordia-St. Paul). 

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

The Rox will look to split the two-game home series against Waterloo on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm at Joe Faber Field. There will be a post-game fireworks show.

If you would like more information on tickets for the 2020 season, or more information regarding this press release,  please contact the Rox front office at 320-240-9798 or visit stcloudrox.com.

The St. Cloud Rox are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its 26th season, the Northwoods 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 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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.