Northwoods Rochester Honkers

MoonDogs Score Early and Often to Defeat Honkers

July 16, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rochester Honkers News Release


(Rochester, MN) - The Mankato MoonDogs jumped ahead to an early six-run lead and never looked back in an 11-3 win over the Rochester Honkers on Tuesday July 16 at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, MN.

Chase Simpson belted a two-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning to give Mankato an early 2-0 lead. The MoonDogs added four more runs in the bottom of the second inning to increase the lead to 6-0. Matt Jones, Timothy Arakawa, and Simpson all delivered run-producing hits in the inning.

Jared Deacon (Cal State Fullerton) drew a lead-off walk in the top of the fifth inning, Kevin Barker (UC Davis) reached on an error and Kalei Hanawahine (Hawaii) singled to load the bases. Deacon scored when Carter Burgess (Sam Houston State) drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Honkers on the scoreboard. Max Murphy (Bradley) flew out to end the inning and leave the bases loaded. The MoonDogs answered in their half of the inning with a two-run homerun from Zach Zehner to increase the lead to 8-1 after five innings.

Deacon, Caleb Dugas (Copiah-Lincoln Community College,) and Reid Roper (Illinois) strung together consecutive two-out singles in the top of the sixth inning to score Rochester's second run of the game. Just as it did it in the fifth inning, Mankato responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the lead to 10-2.

Murphy tripled and scored on a passed ball in the top of the seventh inning, but the MoonDogs got the run back in their half of the inning as Zehner tripled to start the inning and scored on a single from Quinnton Mack.

Kahana Neal earned the win (4-0) for the MoonDogs, as he allowed one run on four hits in five innings. Nathan Roth (Doane College) took the loss (0-1) in his debut for the Honkers. He allowed eight runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work. Stephen Paladino (Felician College) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Rochester.

Barker and Roper each collected a pair of hits on the night to lead the Honkers offense. Deacon went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.

The two teams will play the second game of a three-game series on Wednesday July 17 at 7:05 p.m. at Mayo Field. Tyler Eppler (Sam Houston State) is scheduled to start for Rochester (1-12, 19-29.) Julian Esquibel (Faulkner University) is slated to make the start for Mankato (9-4, 26-22.) The three-game series will conclude in Mankato on Thursday, before the Honkers open up a three-game home series with the Waterloo Bucks on Friday July 19 at 7:05 p.m.



Northwoods League Stories from July 16, 2013


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