Honkers Survive Late Comeback to Win 6th Straight
June 10, 2023 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rochester Honkers News Release
The Rochester Honkers (10-2) battled the La Crosse Loggers (3-7) in a Great Plains East matchup at Mayo Field. Daniel Zang (Dakota County Technical College) took the mound for Rochester, while Jalen Worthley (Nebraska) got the ball for La Crosse.
Early on, it looked like the Honkers would run away with the ballgame as Rochester loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. Griffen Sotomayor (Washington State) grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
The Honkers would not be denied the following inning. Kimo Fukofuka (San Jose State) led off with a double that nearly cleared the wall in center field, and Alec Gomez (Orange Coast College) doubled him in.
Rochester would go on to score five runs in the second. Nico Regino (Charleston Southern) capped off the frame with a two-run single.
Zang continued to pitch well but faltered a bit in the third as La Crosse scratched a run across. He would pitch into the sixth inning but was replaced by Michael Banderas (San Joaquin Delta College) after allowing the first two batters to reach base.
Those runners eventually came around to score, and the Loggers cut the lead to just 5-3. The Honkers answered in the bottom half of the sixth as Gomez led off with a solo home run to left, and Tyler White (Long Beach State) reached on an error, stole two bases, and then scored on a wild pitch.
The Loggers pulled back within two in the eighth inning after Ben Zeigler-Namoa (Hawaii) crushed a pinch-hit home run off the facade of the apartments in right-center field. This was the closest of the four games the Loggers and the Honkers had played all season, and it would ultimately come down to the wire.
Kaden Wickersham (Hutchinson Community College) came in to close the game in the ninth and did so without any trouble. He retired the Loggers in order in the ninth. This win was Rochester's sixth in a row, and the Honkers became the first Northwoods League team to reach ten wins in 2023.
Rochester will be back in action tomorrow to begin a home-and-home series against the Mankato MoonDogs. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m, and you can stream the game live on the Northwoods League Baseball Network or the Honkers radio network on Mixlr.
The Rochester Honkers began their 30th season of play on May 29th. Keep up with the team on social media by following them on Twitter (@RochHonkers) and Instagram (@honkersbaseball) and like the Honkers on Facebook at Rochester Honkers Baseball Club. Interact on social by using the hashtag #FunForTheWholeFlock!
Northwoods League Stories from June 10, 2023
- Express Strike Early, Win by 5 - Eau Claire Express
- Larks Fall to Mud Puppies in High-Scoring Ballgame - Bismarck Larks
- Honkers' Bats Disappear, Six-Game Winning Streak Snapped - Rochester Honkers
- Stingers Blank Bucks 9-0 in Game 1 - Willmar Stingers
- Rox Plate Six in Game One Versus Thunder Bay - Series Continues at Home Tomorrow - St. Cloud Rox
- Rockers Drop First Meeting Against Kingfish - Green Bay Rockers
- Spitters Bite the Spiders in 14-8 Win - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Dogs End Honkers Win Streak - Mankato MoonDogs
- Hit Parade Leads Huskies to 9-5 Win - Duluth Huskies
- Madison Loses Early Lead, Shows Grit in Walk-Off Win - Madison Mallards
- Lakeshore Gets Walked Off Against Madison - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rivets Extend Winning Streak to Two at Home with a 3-1 Win over Dock Spiders - Rockford Rivets
- Express Split Series with Larks - Eau Claire Express
- Rockers Continue Three-Game Road Trip against Kingfish - Green Bay Rockers
- Honkers Survive Late Comeback to Win 6th Straight - Rochester Honkers
- Dock Spiders Lose the Lead Late, Drop Game Two to Rivets 3-1 - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
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