MINOT, ND — The St. Cloud Rox (2-2) battled the Minot Hot Tots (1-1) into extra innings but fell by a 7-6 score in the 10th on Thursday, May 30th. The Rox finished their season-opening, four-game road trip to Bismarck and Minot with a split, outscoring their opponents by a 27-21 margin.

Though the Rox fell behind early, their bullpen again gave them a chance to claw back. Nathan Anderson (Wayne State College), Brandon Jaenke (Viterbo University), and Phil Brennaman (University of Louisiana) combined for eight earned-run free innings. Their performance lowered St. Cloud’s bullpen earned run average to 2.25 across 24 innings. 

Anderson, the Rox Opening Day starter, handled 3 ⅔ innings, striking out four and walking none. He benefited from the arm of Jaixen Frost (University of Iowa), who completed an inning-ending double play in the fourth by throwing out a runner at home. Jaenke followed Anderson with three shutout frames in which he surrendered only one hit and punched out five. Finally, Brennaman worked a scoreless ninth to preserve a tie game and force extra innings. He struck out two while allowing no hits to finish out the game.

Offensively, the Rox posted five runs between the third and fifth innings to overcome a four-run deficit and tie the game. Jackson Hauge (University of Kansas) ripped his second home run of the season, a two-run missile to left, in the third. Hauge’s slugging percentage of .625 now leads the Rox. Another pair scored in the fourth, as Frost singled home St. Cloud’s fourth run. The Rox would level the score in the fifth when Austen Roellig (Louisiana State University) dropped a run-scoring triple, the team’s first three-bagger of the year, into the right-field corner. An even more crucial tying run crossed home in the ninth, as Sawyer Smith (St. Cloud State University) doubled and came in on a groundout by Kade Lewis (Butler University).

Today’s All-Star Trophy and Awards Star of the Game is Nathan Anderson!

The Rox will return to St. Cloud for their home opener against the Duluth Huskies at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, May 31st. The game will feature post-game fireworks after a magnet schedule giveaway to the first 1,500 fans presented by Coborn’s. At 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, the Rox will face Duluth in game two of their series presented by North Risk Partners and Auto-Owners Insurance. A Rox-themed umbrella will be given away to the first 300 fans. 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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