Rox Survive Stingers' Late Swarm, 8-7
Published on June 17, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Willmar Stingers News Release
WILLMAR, MINN. - The game was not short on drama -- that much is true. Forget any ideas about ebb and flow, this game had zigs and zags. The Stingers mounted a cantankerous rally after trailing 8-1, but fell just short, missing on an attempted four-game series sweep of their Highway 23 rivals the St. Cloud Rox.
The first three innings saw no scoring and seemed to set the stage for a pitchers' duel. Willmar right-hander Max Homick faced the minimum through three, relying on his defense to erase a pair of base runners. Similarly, the Stingers offense twice had a runner at first, but bounced into inning-ending double plays through the first three frames.
Homick's fortunes changed however, beginning in the fourth inning when two unearned runs scored. In the fifth, St. Cloud plated another pair and Homick (San Diego) finished his Stingers debut pitching 5.0 innings, striking out four.
After the bullpen struggled in the top of the sixth, the Stingers trailed 8-1 entering the home half of the inning. Marc Flores' leadoff home run jump started the Willmar offense and the Stingers scored four to mitigate the Rox' runs from the half inning before. It was the fourth round-tripper for Flores (Hawaii) who is 12-for-21 in his last five games and earns him the honor of being the *CDI player of the game* for the second straight game. Max Kuhn took advantage of Michael Suchy's night off and performed excellently in the clean-up spot of the order. Kuhn finished 3-5 with two runs scored and two RBI to tie Flores for the team lead with 12 steaks.
Andrew Crook (Meridian CC), Danny Jacobs and Colin Poche combined out of the bullpen to keep Willmar in the game late, holding the Rox scoreless over the last three innings. Jacobs (San Diego) pitched one inning in his second appearance of the season and has yet to surrender a run. Poche, too, made his second trip to the mound, striking out two in the top of the ninth and reaching as high as 94 on the gun at Bill Taunton Stadium.
After scoring two in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a few defensive miscues by St. Cloud (9-11) the Stingers came up short in the ninth, falling 8-7.
Next, the Stingers face a stern test as they will play a pair of double headers on the road. The first double header is tomorrow (TUE) in Alexandria to face the last place Blue Anchors and then, after a Wednesday night home game against Alexandria, the Stingers will travel to Mankato for a pair of games on Thursday.
The Stingers lead the Waterloo Bucks by a half game in the Northwoods League North Division.
The 2013 season is presented by Charter. For more on your Willmar Stingers, please visit www.wctrib.com.
Northwoods League Stories from June 17, 2013
- Rox Get the Win over Willmar Monday, 8-7 - St. Cloud Rox
- Four Run Fifth Inning Carries Rafters over Loggers, 7-4. - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Border Cats win 11-3 - Thunder Bay Border Cats
- Mallards Fly Past Bombers in Opener - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rox Survive Stingers' Late Swarm, 8-7 - Willmar Stingers
- Mistakes Fell Loggers - La Crosse Loggers
- Bullfrogs Lose Pitchers' Duel to Lakeshore, 3-2 - Green Bay Rockers
- Huge Fifth Inning Propels Mallards to Win - Madison Mallards
- Four-run seventh inning key as Express defeat Woodchucks 5-3 - Wausau Woodchucks
- Chinooks Pull out 3-2 Win over Green Bay Bullfrogs - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Express to host blood drive on July 2 - Eau Claire Express
- Honkers Complete Perfect Home Stand - Rochester Honkers
- Red Cross and Express Partner Up - Eau Claire Express
- Mallards Square Off Against Battle Creek - Madison Mallards
- Border Cats Woes Continue - Thunder Bay Border Cats
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