MINOT, ND – The St. Cloud Rox (26-21) blanked the Minot Hot Tots (17-30) by a 5-0 score on Sunday, July 14th. Kristopher Sosnowski (University of Central Florida) and Nathan Anderson (Creighton University) combined to allow only four hits and walk zero across all nine innings.

Sosnowski’s fourth start of the season proved to be his best yet on the Rox mound. The right-hander struck out seven across five shutout innings, walking none and conceding only three hits. Anderson, on the other hand, traded in strikeouts for paramount efficiency, using only 26 pitches to twirl four scoreless frames. The reliever allowed only one hit and walked none to earn the lengthy save. Including Sunday’s game, Sosnowski and Anderson now have respective earned run averages of 2.55 and 2.31.

On offense, St.Cloud immediately scored what ended up as the game-winning run. Tyler Bishop (University of Nebraska Omaha) came home with that run, and Sawyer Smith (University of Kansas) shortly followed him with a second via a wild pitch. Two innings later, Ben Higdon (University of Southern Mississippi) brought in a third Rox run during a stolen base attempt.

In the game’s final innings, Francesco Barbieri (Ave Maria University) took over with two highlight plays, both in the eighth frame. He started with his first home run of the season, a two-run moonshot to right-center field that expanded St. Cloud’s lead to 5-0. Barbieri’s showcase continued in the bottom of the inning, as he made a leaping, tumbling catch on a well-struck flyball to straightaway center field. 

Today’s All-Star Trophy and Awards Star of the Game is Kristopher Sosnowski!

The Rox will finish their five-game road trip and two-game series in Minot with a 6:35 p.m. game on Monday. They will return home to start a six-game homestand, their last before the All-Star break, with Bark in the Park against the Badlands Big Sticks on Tuesday, July 16th. For a complete game & promotional schedule, ticket information, and everything Rox, please visit www.stcloudrox.com!

The 2024 season is presented by Morrie’s Auto Group.

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