Honkers Lose in Thunder Bay

(Rochester, Minn.) – The Honkers scored three runs in the first inning, but Thunder Bay upended the Honkers 7-6 in Thunder Bay Thursday night.

Alex Fitchett (Hawaii) hit a 2-RBI single, and then Josh Davis (Pepperdine) followed with a RBI single of his own to give the Honkers a 3-0 lead.

Joe Gellenbeck (Xavier) hit a solo home run to get the Border Cats on the board and cut the lead to 3-1. The Border Cats scored another run in the fourth to make the score 3-2.
Jackson Thoreson (St. Mary’s) hit a two-run home run in the fifth to extend the Honkers’ lead to 5-2. Then, Joey Czarske (Cal State Northridge) hit an RBI double to score Ryan Fitzpatrick (Saddle Back) and gave the Honkers a 6-2 lead.

Michael Papierski (LSU) hit a triple with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Honkers lead to 6-5.

The Border Cats scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to get the 7-6 win, including a solo home run from Shane Shepard (North Carolina State) to tie the game at 6.

Robert Paccione (LIU – Post) got the start for the Honkers; he pitched five innings, allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out five. Brett Herber (Winona State) pitched 1.1 innings in relief; he allowed three runs on two hits and walked four.

Ricky Delgado (UC Riverside) went 1.2 innings and walked one. Stevie Ledesma (0-2) (Santa Barbara City) got the loss for the Honkers; he threw 0.1 innings in the loss, allowed two runs, one of them earned, on two hits.

Vinny Santarsiero (1-1) (Fontbonne University) got the win in relief for the Border Cats; he allowed three hits and struck out two. Brandon Langan (University of New Mexico) got the start; he went one inning, allowed three runs on three hits, walked two and struck out one. Seth Gill (Tarleton State) went three innings in relief; he allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five.

Davis went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run to lead the Honkers, while Thoreson went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.

The Honkers fall to 5-8 in the second half and 12-36 overall, while the Border Cats move to 5-8 in the second half and 11-36 overall.

The Honkers will play the same Border Cats’ team Friday night, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. The Honkers are back at home Tuesday against the La Crosse Loggers for TV Tuesday presented by Sam’s Club. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6:00 p.m.