
Honkers Walk-Off Stingers in 12 Inning Marathon
July 22, 2022 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rochester Honkers News Release
ROCHESTER, MINN - In a game that lasted three hours and 34 minutes the Rochester Honkers walked-off the Willmar Stingers 6-5 in 12 innings at Mayo Field.
In his first start in 11 days Jakob Guardado (Pasadena City) didn't have his best command. He walked the first three batters he faced, two of them coming around to score on a Brett Bateman (Minnesota) two run double. However, Guardado was able to hold the Stingers to just two runs in a 31 pitch first inning. He settled down in the second and third before walks bit him again in the fourth. After back-to-back walks Nick Terrell (Ripon College) brought both of them home on another two run double for Willmar.
The Stingers took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth where the Honkers started their comeback. They put up a run in the fourth and fifth on a Michael Brown (Washington) ground out and a steal of home from Tyler White (Long Beach State). Rochester tied the game with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. Carson Stevens (Cal Poly) made it a one run game with a run scoring double and White tied the game with an RBI ground out.
The scoring stopped until the 10th inning when all-stars on both squads delivered key RBI. Drey Dirksen (Augustana) gave Willmar a 5-4 lead by driving in the free runner with a sac fly but the Honkers all-star, Nico Regino (Charleston Southern), tied it with an RBI single. Neither team could bring in the free runner in the 11th and the Stingers couldn't in the top of the 12th. That gave the Honkers a chance to win it and they did exactly that. With the bases loaded Dario Gomez (Nevada) won it for Rochester with a walk-off single down the right field line.
The Honkers take game one from Willmar 6-5 and couldn't have done it without their bullpen. In relief of Jakob Guardado the Honkers relief corps of Kevin Dowdell (West Virginia), AJ Campbell (Frostburg State), Troy Wentworth (UC Irvine) and Sebastian Mejia (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) didn't allow an earned run over eight innings. Mejia ended up getting the win, his second of the summer.
The Honkers improve to 7-4 in the second half and are just one game back of the Stingers and Rox for first place in the second half Great Plains West standings. Nate Hansen (San Joaquin Delta College) will get the ball for Rochester on Friday night as they look for the series sweep.
Northwoods League Stories from July 22, 2022
- Stingers Survive in Extras to Split Series, 10-7 - Willmar Stingers
- Chinooks Swept by Pit Spitters - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Kingfish Fall 8-2 to Woodchucks - Kenosha Kingfish
- Rafters Split with Dock Spiders in 2-1 Loss - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Denton, Marshall Dominant in Win - Wausau Woodchucks
- Loggers Steam Roll Past Express; 14-5. - La Crosse Loggers
- Evan Smith Plays Hero in Walk-Off Win Against Rafters - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Rox Walk It off over Bismarck to Clinch Tenth Straight Winning Season - St. Cloud Rox
- Rockers Earn Sweep of Mallards - Green Bay Rockers
- Pit Spitters Win Fifth Straight as They Roll over the Chinooks - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Campbell's Clutch Hits Lead Huskies to Sweep at Waterloo - Duluth Huskies
- Schultz Shows Out in Final Start, MoonDogs Hold Mud Puppies to Pair of Hits for Season Sweep - Mankato MoonDogs
- Battle Jacks' Ninth Inning Heroics Complete 8-7 Comeback against Kalamazoo - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Loggers Fall Short in Eau Claire, 4-3 - La Crosse Loggers
- Pit Spitters to Host All-Star Game in 2023 - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Northwoods League Announces 2023 All-Star Game Sites - Northwoods
- Dock Spiders Fall in Extras to Rafters in Series Opener - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Rockers Head to Madison Looking for Series Sweep - Green Bay Rockers
- Honkers Walk-Off Stingers in 12 Inning Marathon - Rochester Honkers
- Stingers Fall in Extras against Honkers, 6-5 - Willmar Stingers
- Rafters Return from Break with Win over Dock Spiders - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Rox Lose Opener against Bismarck, Look for Split on Friday - St. Cloud Rox
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Rochester Honkers Stories
- Thunder Bay Wins an Extra Inning Thriller at Mayo Field 5-4
- Honkers Succumb to Late Thunder Bay Rally as They Fall, 15-7
- La Crosse Puts on an Offensive Show En Route to a 14-5 Win
- Rochester Drops Another Mayo Field Heartbreaker, 8-5
- Honkers Lose in Extras, as Bucks Explode in Tenth for 9-5 Victory

