Rox Shut out Stingers
June 27, 2016 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release
St. Cloud Rox Pitcher Aaron Rozek
(St. Cloud Rox)
St. Cloud, Minn. - After dropping a two game series to the Eau Claire Express and losing their hold on the division lead, the St. Cloud Rox were looking to turn their luck around in their first of four games against the Willmar Stingers.
They did just that on Monday night, in a decisive 7-0 victory for the Rox (18-8) over the Stingers (13-14).
Willmar threatened early, putting runners in scoring position in both the first and third innings. However starting pitcher Aaron Rozek (Minnesota State, Mankato) would not allow the runners to move any further, picking up clutch strikeouts to get out of the jams.
Rozek would strike out a season high nine batters in six innings while not allowing a run on five hits and a walk.
The Rox would score the first run of the game in the third, as Luke Ringhofer (South Dakota State) singled home Drew Freedman (Wake Forest). That would be the only run of the first five innings for either team.
The offense would ignite in the sixth inning, with a single and two walks loading the bases. Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) then drew a walk bringing in the Rox second run. A wild pitch in the next at bat would bring home Denis Karas (Cal Berkeley) then Brendan Illies (North Carolina) lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the third run of the inning.
A double in the seventh from Michael Strem (Boston College) would bring home Ringhofer, and Strem scored later on a Willmar error extending the Rox lead to 6-0. An insurance run on another Strem double in the ninth would pad the Rox lead to 7-0.
Robbie Palkert (Nebraska) came on in relief for Rozek in the seventh inning and pitched three hitless innings in relief. Palkert has not allowed a run since his debut outing for the Rox, and picked up his third save of the season on Monday.
The win was the Rox fifth shutout of the season, and coupled with a loss by the Express moved St. Cloud back into first place in the division.
The Rox will head to Willmar for three games in two days against the Stingers. They return to Joe Faber Field on Thursday to take on the La Crosse Loggers. Back by popular demand, Deuces Wild! Dueling Pianos will be entertaining fans throughout Thursday's game.
Tonight's game one St. Cloud Times Player of the Game was Aaron Rozek following his great work on the mound. For more coverage of the Rox during the 2016 season visit www.sctimes.com.
Single game tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.stcloudrox.com, by calling (320) 240-9798 or by visiting the Rox ticket office located at the Municipal Athletic Complex.
Images from this story
 St. Cloud Rox Pitcher Aaron Rozek |
Northwoods League Stories from June 27, 2016
- 'Chucks Drop Two to Wisconsin Rapids - Wausau Woodchucks
- Strong Pitching and Timely Hitting Earns Bullfrogs 10th Win - Green Bay Rockers
- Stingers' Offense Quieted by Rox in Series-Opening Loss - Willmar Stingers
- Honkers Use Late Surge to Defeat Border Cats - Rochester Honkers
- Mallards Continue Road Excellence in Mequon - Madison Mallards
- Boyd's 4 Hit, 4 RBI Night Leads Bucks to 7-1 Win - Waterloo Bucks
- Kingfish Smash Growlers 7-1 - Kenosha Kingfish
- Bombers Fall to Rivets, 4-3, as Rally Falls Just Short - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rox Shut out Stingers - St. Cloud Rox
- Chinooks Drop Game to Mallards - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rivets slug way past Bombers - Rockford Rivets
- 'Chucks Fall to Wisconsin Rapids in First of Doubleheader - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rafters Look to Get Back to Winning Ways against Woodchucks - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Madison Looks to Carry Momentum into Lakeshore - Madison Mallards
- Rafters and Fey Printing "Turn Back the Clock" for Jersey Auction - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Fox Communities Credit Union Night at Joannes as Bullfrogs Face the Express - Green Bay Rockers
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.
