Northwoods Rochester Honkers

Honkers Lose Heart Breaker to Willmar

Published on June 5, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rochester Honkers News Release


(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers suffered its first one-run loss of the 2013 season with a 3-2 loss to the Willmar Stingers Tuesday at Mayo Field.

The Stingers took an early lead in the top half of the second inning when Tyler Leffler lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Michael Suchy. The run was unearned because of a passed ball earlier in the inning that advanced Suchy to third base. The Honkers tied the game with an unearned run of their own in the bottom of the third when Jarad Watts (Bethel University) scored after a deep two-out fly ball from Matt Halloran (Minnesota) was lost and dropped by Suchy in right field.

Suchy drove his second double of the game to left field with one out in the fourth inning and came in to score along with Zack Tillery on a two-run, two-out single from Karl Sorensen to give the Stingers a 3-1 lead after three and a half innings. The two runs were the first and only earned runs allowed by Honkers starting pitcher Brandon Stennis (Doane College) this season. Stennis (0-1) took the loss, he allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits in six innings.

Rochester answered with back-to-back doubles from Steve Serratore (Des Moines Area Community College) and Quinn Carpenter (Iowa Western) with one out in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Serratore scored on Carpenter's double, but Carpenter was stranded at third base after a strike him out, throw him out double play ended the inning.

The run in the fourth was the last the Honkers would score off of Stingers starting pitcher Steven Brault. Brault (2-0) picked up his second win of the season, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned,) on four hits. He struck out 13 and did not walk a batter.

Rochester threatened to score when Kalei Hanawahine (Hawaii) drove a double to the left field fence to start the bottom of the eighth inning. Hanawahine stole third base, but was thrown out at home plate when he attempted to score from second base on the pitch that went to the back stop. The Honkers loaded the bases with just one out in the ninth inning, but pinch hitter Mitch Anderson (Rochester Community and Technical College) and Hanawahine were retired by Bobby McCormack to end the game.

Brian Schwarzbach (Pennsylvania) pitched three perfect innings in relief for the Honkers. Serratore led the Rochester offense as the only player with two hits.

Rochester (4-3) will play in Mankato vs. the MoonDogs (2-5) Wednesday, June 5, at Franklin Rogers Park before returning home to Mayo Field for a six-game home stand starting Thursday, June 6. Jordan Milbrath (Augustana College) is slated to make his second start of the season Wednesday in Mankato.

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