Honkers Take Two From Waterloo

(Rochester, Minn) – After winning the suspended game from July 5th, the Honkers defeated the Bucks 6-2 in a seven-inning affair at Mayo Field Wednesday night.

The Bucks scored their two runs in the first and second innings on solo home runs. In the first, Alex Boxwell (Minnesota) hit his, and then in the second inning Jake Hand (Southern Illinois University) hit his solo shot.

The Honkers tied the game in the third, and it started with Turner Buis (Cal State Fullerton) hitting into a fielder’s choice to score Jacob Thomas (UC Davis). Later that inning, the Honkers scored again when Drew Ellis (Louisville) hit into a fielder’s choice to score Kyle Kasser (Oregon) to tie the game at 2.

The Honkers took the lead for good in the fifth; it started when Kasser scored on a wild pitch, and then Josh Davis (Pepperdine) hit a RBI single to score Buis to make the score 4-2.

In the sixth, the Honkers earned another two runs off of a Drew Ellis (Louisville) RBI single to give the Honkers a 6-2 win.

Robert Paccione (LIU-Post) got the start for the Honkers; he went four innings, allowed two runs on three hits, walked three and struck out three. David Worrell (1-2) (Corpus Christi) went 1.1 innings to get the win; he allowed one hit, walked three and struck out two. Stevie Ledesman (Santa Barbara City) came in with the bases loaded and two out, and struck out one and forced a groundout to get out of the inning, and then allowed one hit in the ninth, but no runs to earn his first save of the season.

Jared Crescentini (Missouri Baptist) got the start for the Bucks; he went four innings, allowed two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out one. Hunter Spencer (1-1) (Bellarmine University) took the loss for the Bucks went 0.1 innings for the Bucks; he allowed two runs on two hits.

Kasser went 4 for 4 with three runs scored to lead the Honkers offense, while Ellis went 1 for 4 with three RBI.

Hand went 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Bucks, while Boxwell went 1 for 4 with a RBI and a run scored.

With the win, the Honkers move to 3-5 in the second half and 10-33 overall, while the Bucks fall to 4-4 in the second half and 26-17 overall. The Bucks lead the SCHEELS Highway 63 Cup Series 4-3, so the Honkers must win their last matchup of the season in Waterloo on Monday, July 25 to win a share of the title.

The Honkers take on the Kalamazoo Growlers Thursday at Mayo Field for Hawaiian Night! Fans are encouraged to wear their Hawaiian attire as the team will wear their Hawaiian-themed jerseys! It is also the Great Holiday Giveaway! The first 1,000 fans will receive a coupon book from Holiday that includes one FREE slice of pizza per week from now until Labor Day! (8 total) There will also be 20 Holiday Gift Cards given away! First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6:00! Friday, the Honkers will take on the same Growlers team on Friday for Scout Night! First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6:00!

Honkers Win Suspended Game From July 5 Over Bucks

(Rochester, Minn) – In the game suspended from July 5th, the Honkers defeated the Waterloo Bucks 7-5 Wednesday night at Mayo Field.

The game was suspended was resumed in the fifth inning, with the Honkers leading 6-2. The Bucks were able to cut the lead to two in the sixth inning with the help of a Honker error. The Bucks scored another run in the seventh on an Adam McGinnis (Western Illinois) solo home run to make the score 6-5.

The Honkers scored an insurance run in the eighth to make the score 7-5 when the Bucks failed to turn a double play, allowing Josh Davis (Pepperdine) to score from third.

The Honkers took the lead in the first inning back on July 5th, when Casey Worden (UC Riverside) hit a RBI double to score Alex Fitchett (Hawaii) to give the Honkers a 1-0 lead. The Bucks came right back in the second; Zach Weatherford (Wright State) hit a two-run home run to take a 2-1 lead.

Worden hit an RBI single in third to score two runs, to give the Honkers a 3-2 lead, and then Drew Ellis then launched a three-run home run in the fourth to stretch the Honkers’ lead to 6-2.

Isaac Friesen (1-4) (Hawaii) got the start for the Honkers and the win; he pitched four innings on July 5th, then came back and finished the game tonight; he went nine innings, allowed five runs on nine hits, walked one and struck out five in the complete game effort.

Patrick Boyle (3-2) (Missouri Baptist) got the start and the loss for the Bucks; he pitched three innings, allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits, walked two and struck out four. The Bucks used five different pitchers to finish the game afterward.

Worden went 2 for 4 with three RBI to lead the Honkers, while Ellis went 1 for 3 with three RBI to help the offense move.

The game will go toward the second half of each team’s record, with the Honkers moving to 2-5 in the second half and 9-33 overall. The Bucks fall to 4-3 in the second half and 26-16 overall.

Weatherford went 1 for 2 with 2 RBI and a run scored to lead the Bucks, while McGinnis went 1 for 2 with two runs scored and one RBI.