Newsroom
December 14, 2007
Honkers Announce 2008 Schedule!
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today its complete game schedule for the 2008 season. The four-time Northwoods League Champions begin their 15th season at home on Thursday, May 29th, when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05PM first pitch.
The Honkers will play a 68 game schedule in 75 days, beginning on May 29th and ending on August 11th. The 14th Annual NWL All-Star Game will be on Monday, July 14th at Warner Park in Madison, WI. The NWL Playoff Series will take place from August 12th through August 17th. The winner of each division’s two halves will meet in a best-of-three divisional playoff series (Aug. 12,13,14) with the winners advancing to the NWL Championship Series (Aug. 15,16,17), also a best-of-three.
The Honkers will face each North Division team 8 times (4 home, 4 away) and each South Division team 4 times (2 home, 2 away) with the exception of not playing the Madison Mallards and the Eau Claire Express. The Green Bay Bullfrogs will make their inaugural appearance in Rochester next summer when they hop into Mayo Field for a two-game set beginning on June 13th.
The Rochester Honkers are one of two remaining teams (Wisconsin Woodchucks) from the Northwoods League’s inaugural season of 1994.
Divisional Alignment:
Years in parenthesis denote the franchise’s first season in the league.
^2007 postseason team – *2007 division champion – #2007 Northwoods League Champion
North Division
Alexandria Beetles (2001)
Brainerd Blue Thunder (2005)
^Duluth Huskies (2003)
Mankato MoonDogs (1999)
Rochester Honkers (1994)
^*#St. Cloud River Bats (1997)
Thunder Bay Border Cats (2003)
South Division
Battle Creek Bombers (2007)
^*Eau Claire Express (2005)
^Green Bay Bullfrogs (2007)
La Crosse Loggers (2003)
Madison Mallards (2001)
Waterloo Bucks (1995)
Wisconsin (Wausau) Woodchucks (1994)
The entire NWL schedule is available at www.northwoodsleague.com.
October 1, 2007
Slider Wins Award!
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Slider, the team’s mascot, was awarded the “Known Character” Award, as presented by the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau at their inaugural “More than you Know” Awards.
The “Known Character” Award is based on someone or something that “has a personality all its/their own.”
When asked about his reaction to winning this prestigious award, Slider simply smiled!
The RCVB invited the Rochester community to submit nominations for the awards. Winners were then judged by a panel of local media and city officials. A total of 12 Awards were given out.
The “More Than You Know” Awards are part of the second phase of the RCVB’s Rah Rah Rochester campaign, a marketing initiative created to spark a sense of energy and spirit throughout the Rochester community. The campaign has fostered support of Rochester’s tourism industry and is focused on exposing Rochester residents, visitors and potential businesses to all that Rochester has to offer. The “More Than You Know” Awards highlighted many different “greats” of Rochester, from its friendly residents and growing businesses to its beautiful views and trendsetting entertainment!
Spetember 14, 2007
Plourde to Pilot Honkers in 2008!
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today Jason Plourde (pronounced Plored), Assistant Coach at Fort Hays State (KS), as their Field Manager for the 2008 season. Plourde becomes the Honkers 7th field manager in team history.
“I'm grateful to the Honkers for giving me the opportunity to be the field manager for the 2008 season,” said Plourde. “They have a great track record in the best summer collegiate baseball league in the nation. I look forward to working with both Dan and Kim and the rest of the Honkers staff.”
Plourde comes to the Honkers with five years of summer collegiate coaching experience. He spent the last two summers as the Associate Head Coach/Pitching Coach with the Fayetteville SwampDogs in the Coastal Plain League. Under his guidance, the 2007 Swampdogs became the single-season winningest team in CPL history. The SwampDogs won a record 42 games (42-14) and posted the second best team ERA (3.04). The 2006 SwampDogs won a record 39 games (39-12) and led the league with a team ERA of 2.12.
“I had a great time in the Coastal Plain League, and our teams did some special things,” said Plourde. “I look for the 2008 Honkers doing some special things as well and look to bring a 5th NWL Championship to the wonderful fans of Rochester!”
Plourde is no stranger to the Northwoods League. He spent the 2003 & 2004 summers with the Madison Mallards as their pitching coach. The Mallards won the 2004 NWL Championship and led the league in team ERA.
“Jason brings a vast amount of experience to our coaching staff next summer,” said Honkers General Manager, Dan Litzinger. “He has teamed up the last five years with one of the most successful field managers in the NWL, Darrell Handlesman. Look for an exciting summer!”
lourde was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Glendale Community College in California before joining Fort Hays in 2006. Prior to Glendale, he was the pitching coach at Los Angeles Valley College from 2000-2004.
As a player, Plourde played baseball at LA Valley College where he was an Academic All Western State Conference player in 1998 & 1999. He graduated from Cal State Northridge in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology-Secondary Physical Education. He then received his master’s degree in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University in 2004.
August 12 , 2007
Robertson, Martin, and Hoisington earn post-season accolades
(Rochester, MN)- Prior to Sunday’s 6-3 victory in the season finale over the La Crosse Loggers, the Rochester Honkers announced their team award winners for 2007. The team named the Most Inspirational Player, the Pitcher of the Year, and the Honker of the Year.
Pitcher Zach Robertson (Iowa Central CC) was named as the Most Inspirational Player of 2007. Robertson made every scheduled start for the Honkers this season despite traveling back and forth to visit his younger sister, Hannah, at the hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. Hannah, who is 16, had a heart transplant when she was 14 and has since had to make periodical hospital stays because of her weakened immune system. Robertson thrived as a starter for the Honkers while coping with his family situation. Robertson finished the season with a 6-4 record and 74 strikeouts in 68.1 innings, including six strikeouts in a winning effort on Sunday afternoon.
The 2007 Pitcher of the Year was Greg Martin (UNC Greensboro). In his first year with the Honkers, Martin compiled a team-high eight wins on his way to an 8-2 overall record. Martin logged more innings than any other Honker on the staff (73.1) and struck out 50 batters. Martin started in all but one of his 12 appearances, and gave up only one homer on the season, the lowest of any regular Honkers starter.
Drew Hoisington (Toledo) took home the 2007 Honker of the Year award. Hoisington was a catalyst for the Honker offense all season, and led the team in nearly every offensive category. Going into Sunday’s game, Hoisington led the team in batting average (.290) and slugging percentage (.498). He finished the season tied for first on the team in home runs (9), and first in RBI (41), hits (65), extra-base hits (25), and stolen bases (14). Besides his offensive prowess, Hoisington was also one of the most feared defensive center fielders in the league, making a handful of great catches and compiling numerous outfield assists.
August 12 , 2007
Honkers break team home run record
(Rochester, MN)- Craig Lutes picked a great time to hit his first home run of the season. With two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lutes took a delivery from Evan Buhr over the fence in right field to give the Honkers 56 homers on the season, a new team record. Lutes finished the game 2-4 with a double and two RBI to lead the Honkers to a 6-3 win over the La Crosse Loggers (10-25, 27-41) in the final game of the season on Sunday afternoon at Mayo Field.
The home run from Lutes helped the Honkers (14-18, 32-34) surpass the old team record of 55 set in 1999. Rochester finished the season three shy of the Northwoods League (NWL) record, which is 59 set by St. Cloud in 1997.
Zach Robertson gave the Honkers his usual solid performance on the mound, going 6.2 innings and surrendering only one run. Robertson (6-4) struck out six and gave up one hit. He did throw two wild pitches, one of which permitted Dan Chmura to score the first run for La Crosse, making the score 3-1. Mike Morrison pitched the final 2.1 innings, striking out five and giving up to runs to earn the save (6).
The Honkers got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to RBI doubles from Aaron Senne, Brett Featherston, and Lutes. The first three runs of the game came off Loggers starter Randy Johnson (0-2), who went six innings and allowed three runs off nine hits. William Bowman was the biggest producer for La Crosse on the day, going 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Trailing 6-1, Bowman hit a solo shot in the eighth and lined a run scoring single in the ninth that made the score 6-3.
Senne finished the game 2-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. In his final game as a Honker, Featherston went 1-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
August 11 , 2007
Loggers topple Honkers in home finale
(La Crosse, WI)- The La Crosse Loggers shut out the Rochester Honkers for the first seven innings on Saturday night while building a 4-0 lead in the process. The Honkers (13-18, 31-34) salvaged two runs in the eighth inning, but it was too little too late as the Loggers (10-24, 27-40) ended their home schedule with a 4-2 victory at Copeland Park.
Joe Southers drove in the only two runs of the night for Rochester with a two-RBI double in the top of the eighth off Loggers reliever Jordan Herbert. Southers’ hit came with two out in the inning and drove in Derek Norris and Brett Featherston. Norris was hit by a pitch and Featherston reached on a walk.
The Loggers picked up their first two runs of the night in the third inning off Honkers starter Ryan Hill. Spencer Lucian doubled to drive in the first run and Eric Thames made the score 2-0 after his sacrifice fly scored Lucian. They got another run in the sixth after Honkers reliever Ryan Kussmaul walked Gabe Shultz with the bases loaded. The final run for La Crosse came in the next inning, as Trevor Coleman came up with a two-out, RBI single to score Thames.
Thames led the Loggers at the plate, finishing the night 3-3 with an RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Trevor Coleman also had three hits, going 3-4 with an RBI. Wade Kapteyn (1-0) chalked his first win of the season, holding the Honkers to two hits in six innings. He struck out six batters. Don Erdall pitched a scoreless ninth and fanned two to earn his second save in a row and his 14th of the season.
Hill (1-4) suffered the loss for Rochester, as he gave up two runs off four hits in five innings on the rubber. Kussmaul also gave up four hits and two runs while pitching the sixth and seventh innings. Both had four strikeouts.
Southers and Eric Gruhlke were the only Honkers to record hits in the game. Southers went 2-3 with two RBI and Gruhlke was 2-4.
The Honkers will return to Mayo Field on Sunday for the final game of the 2007 season after dropping two in a row to the Loggers at Copeland Park. The Honkers will face the Loggers for the fourth straight game, with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown out at 3:05 p.m.
August 11 , 2007
Hoisington, Martin recognized as post-season all-stars
(Rochester, MN)- The Northwoods League (NWL) announced the members of the 2007 Post-Season All-Star Team and post-season award winners on Saturday. The Rochester Honkers were represented by two players on the All-Star Team. Pitcher Greg Martin (UNC Greensboro) and center fielder Drew Hoisington (Toledo) received the post-season honor. Both were members of the NWL Mid-Season All-Star Team as well.
Going into Saturday night’s game against La Crosse, Hoisington leads the team in batting average (.295), slugging percentage (.507), RBI (41), home runs (9), doubles (13), triples (3), runs (36), hits (64), and stolen bases (13). He is tied for first in the NWL in home runs, third in RBI, fourth in slugging percentage and second in extra-base hits (25).
Martin, a right-handed starter, is currently tied for the NWL-lead in wins (8), and has the eighth best ERA of pitchers who have thrown at least 52 innings (2.09). Martin compiled a record of 8-2 and started in 11 of his 12 appearances. He struck out 50 batters and walked 31 on the year and gave up only one home run. He logged more innings than any other Honker pitcher this season (73.1). With only one game remaining after Saturday, Martin will not make another start before season’s end.
Pitcher Kole Calhoun (Eau Claire) and outfielder Daniel Robertson (Green Bay) were selected as co-MVPs of the league. Green Bay’s field manager, Elliot Strankman, was named the 2007 Manager of the Year while Chandler Rose (Alexandria) was the coach of the year.
August 10 , 2007
Loggers squeeze out win over Honkers
(La Crosse, WI)- The La Crosse Loggers got their only run of the night on an RBI bunt by Troy Hanzawa in the seventh inning, but it was enough to take a 1-0 victory of the Rochester Honkers at La Crosse on Friday night. The loss ends a four-game winning streak for the Honkers (13-17, 31-33), while La Crosse (9-24, 26-40) ends their losing streak at six games.
Hanzawa drove in the winning run with runners on second and third and one out in the seventh. Sean Finn (1-7) gave up the run, the only he gave up in relief of starter Dave Sever while pitching the seventh and eighth innings. Sever didn’t allow a run in six innings and gave up only four hits. He struck out three and walked one in the no-decision.
Aaron Dott (2-2) earned the win in seven innings for the Loggers. He didn’t give up a run, allowed only two hits and struck out four. Dott did issue six free passes, but the Honkers failed to capitalize. Don Erdall came out of the bullpen in the ninth inning to shut down the Honkers and notch his 13th save of the season.
Spencer Lucian went 2-2 in the La Crosse victory. Derek Norris came away with two of the three Honker hits, ending the game 2-4. Joe Southers had the other hit for the Honkers, who will finish their two-game road series with La Crosse tomorrow night at 7:05.
August 9 , 2007
Honkers take fourth game in a row
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers came back from an early two-run deficit and made just enough plays to take a 3-2 victory over the La Crosse Loggers on Thursday night at Mayo Field. The pitching staff for the Honkers (13-16, 31-32) struck out 14 batters and allowed only three hits. Rochester got a clutch RBI single from Joe Southers in the sixth to score the winning run. The Loggers (8-24, 25-40) have now dropped six games in a row.
Craig Fritsch (5-1) took the win for the Honkers in six innings on the hill. He struck out 10 and allowed only two hits. One of those hits was a two-run homer off the bat of Matt Lenski in the top of the second inning, which proved to be the only run production for the Loggers on the evening. Fritsch didn’t allow a hit and struck out nine after Lenski’s blast.
Trailing the game 2-0, Aaron Senne came away with an RBI in the third and the fifth innings without even getting the ball out of the infield. In the third he grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Southers, and in the fifth he got an infield single to bring home Jacob Spaeth. Spaeth singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball.
The Honkers kept themselves in position to win the game with two stellar defensive plays. With the bases loaded and two out in the top of the sixth, first baseman Brett Featherston made a diving stop on a ground ball by Matt Lenski and flipped to Fritsch covering first to get out of the inning. In the eighth, Troy Hanzawa led off the inning with a single and advanced to third with only one out in the inning. With the infield drawn in, shortstop David Flores laid out to catch a low line drive hit by Trevor Coleman to keep Hanzawa from advancing. Ryan Kussmaul, pitching in relief of Fritsch, struck out Sawyer Carroll to end the inning.
Mike Morrison came out of the bullpen and shut down the Loggers in the ninth. He earned his fifth save of the year as he retired La Crosse in order, striking out two. Jessie Van Brunt took the loss for the Loggers, giving up the game winning RBI from Southers. Southers ended the game 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Senne was 1-3 with two RBI and Spaeth was 1-3 with a run scored and stolen base.
The Honkers have now won four games in a row and six of their last seven. They have three games remaining, all of which are against the Loggers. The second game of the series will be on Friday night, when Rochester travels to La Crosse for a 7:05 p.m. game.
August 8 , 2007
Honkers tie team record for homers in a season
(Rochester, MN)- Drew Hoisington hit his ninth home run and the team’s 55th of the season, which puts them in a tie for the team record of most home runs hit in a season. Hoisington finished the game 2-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Honkers (12-16, 30-32) in a 5-2 victory over the Alexandria Beetles (15-15, 33-31) on Wednesday night at Mayo Field.
The Rochester team record for home runs in a season was initially set by the 1999 Honkers. This year’s squad has four games left to set a new mark. They are also chasing the Northwoods League (NWL) record for home runs in a season (59), which was set by the St. Cloud River Bats in 1997.
The Honkers trailed 1-0 in the game before they scored three unanswered runs to take a lead they would not surrender. Hoisington’s homer got Rochester on the board in the third before they took the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Derek Norris picked up his 11th RBI against Alexandria this season with a single that scored David Flores to start the inning. Jacob Spaeth finished the scoring in the inning when he recorded his first RBI of the season on a single that allowed Norris to score.
The Beetles pulled to within one when Keith Castillo hit a sac fly that scored Victor Sanchez in the sixth. Relief pitcher Tim Radmacher got out of a two-on, one-out jam by retiring Blake Murphy and Jeff Tezak to end the Alexandria threat. The Honkers added insurance runs in the eighth after Craig Lutes scored on a throwing error and Hoisington recorded a run-scoring double for his second and final RBI of the night.
Tim Scott (1-2) got the win in his first start for the Honkers. He went five innings and surrendered only one run on three hits. Radmacher had one of his best outings of the year, as he went two innings and gave up two hits and one run. Radmacher set up Reed Woytek for his team-leading fifth save of the year. Robert Dickmann (3-2) took the loss in 4.1 innings on the mound. He gave up seven hits and three runs. Sanchez went 1-2 with a run scored and an RBI for the Beetles in the loss.
The Honkers swept the season series with the Beetles, taking all eight games. The season sweep of the Beetles is only the third time in NWL history that one team has defeated a division opponent in all eight games.
The Honkers will finish their four-game home-stand on Thursday night when they host the La Crosse Loggers at Mayo Field. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m.
August 7 , 2007
Featherston homers again in Honker win
(Rochester, MN)- Brett Featherston connected on a home run in his third consecutive game as the Rochester Honkers defeated the Alexandria Beetles
5-2 at Mayo Field on Tuesday night. Featherston finished the game 2-4 with two RBI to lead the Honkers (11-16, 29-32) to their fourth win in five games. The Beetles (15-14, 33-30) have not defeated the Honkers in seven tries this season.
Zach Robertson put in another strong performance on the mound, going six innings and striking out 10 batters. Robertson (5-4) allowed six hits and gave up only two runs, as his team-leading strikeout total moves to 68. Sean Finn pitched the final three innings to earn the save (2). He didn’t allow a hit and struck out five. Andrew Robinson (5-4) took the loss for the Beetles, as he went seven innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on nine hits.
The Honkers got off to a hot start in the game, scoring two runs in the first thanks to RBI doubles by Featherston and Brian Spear. Featherston’s solo homer in the third inning gave the Honkers a 3-0 lead before the Beetles could get on the board. They scored for the first time in the fifth when Jeff Tezak came home on a wild pitch. Alexandria cut the lead to 3-2 when Andrew Robinson, the starting pitcher for the Beetles, singled to bring home Blake Murphy. Robinson, who had not stepped to the plate all season, finished the game 2-3 with an RBI.
The Honkers held the slim 3-2 lead until they came away with four hits and two runs in the eighth; one scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Eric Gruhlke and the other on a wild pitch from Ben Jenzen. The 5-2 lead was more than enough for Finn, who retired the Beetles in order in the ninth.
Brian Spear and Craig Lutes each went 3-4 on the night, combining to make up half of the team’s total hits. Robinson was the only player to have multiple hits for the Beetles, who came away with only six all night. The Honkers will try to sweep the season series with the Beetles when the two teams meet for the final time on Wednesday night at Mayo Field. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m.
August 6 , 2007
Honkers notch third straight one-run win
(Rochester, MN)- Brett Featherston hit his second home run in as many games and Greg Martin picked up his eighth win of the year as the Rochester Honkers defeated the Mankato MoonDogs 3-2 at Mayo Field on Monday night. After starting out the year 5-17 in one-run games, the Honkers (10-16, 28-32) have won three consecutive one-run decisions. The loss ends a two game winning streak for the MoonDogs (14-13, 31-30).
With the game tied at 1-1, Featherston led off the fourth inning with a solo home run, his seventh of the season. Shaver Hansen drove in what would be the winning run in the sixth, when his sacrifice fly brought home David Flores to give the Honkers a two-run cushion, 3-1. Mankato came up with a run by way of a throwing error by catcher Derek Norris that allowed Ben Geelan to score in the seventh, cutting the Honker lead to 3-2. The MoonDogs would get no closer, as Reed Woytek held them scoreless in the eighth and Mike Morrison struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save (4).
The Honker pitching staff was lights-out all night, retiring 11 MoonDogs on strikes. Martin (8-2) got off of the seven win mark in his third attempt since getting out to a 7-0 start. He went six innings, struck out five and gave up one run. He spread out seven hits and was helped by a pair of clutch 6-4-3 double plays that ended the fourth and fifth innings. Reed Woytek pitched two innings and gave up a hit and run (unearned) while striking out three to set up Morrison’s save.
David Flores went 2-4 and scored a run to lead the Honkers. Featherston was 1-3 with one RBI and a run scored, while Drew Hoisington chipped in with an RBI of his own. Sean Nicol and James Kiethly each went 2-4 for the MoonDogs and Mike Lobacz recorded the team’s only RBI. Chris Bennet (2-1) took the loss for Mankato, as he went six innings while giving up five hits and three runs (two earned).
Despite the victory on Monday, the Honkers drop the season series with the MoonDogs, 5-3. The Honkers will open up a two-game set with the Alexandria Beetles at Mayo Field starting Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.
August 5 , 2007
Honkers hit 52nd home run in loss
(Mankato, MN)- The Rochester Honkers spotted the Mankato MoonDogs five runs on Sunday night, as Mankato notched a 5-2 win at Franklin Rogers Park. The Honkers (9-16, 27-32) had their winning streak stopped at two games by the MoonDogs (14-12, 31-29), who won their second straight contest.
Brett Featherston provided the only offensive firepower for the Honkers on the night when he belted his sixth home run of the season in the top of the sixth inning. Featherston’s round-tripper brought Brian Spear around to score as Rochester cut into the Mankato lead, making the tally 5-2. The home run brings Rochester’s season total to 52, which is three shy of tying the team record and seven short of the Northwoods League (NWL) record. Joe Southers had a chance to bring the Honkers closer when he came up with the bases loaded in the eighth, but he could not repeat the heroics he displayed in the past two Rochester victories; he grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
The MoonDogs got a two-run homer of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Alan Oaks’ third home run of the year made the score 5-0 MoonDogs. Sean Nicol drove in a run on a double in the second inning and Adam Abraham connected on a run-scoring single in the third. Abraham would eventually score in the same inning on an error by Honkers center fielder Drew Hoisington after Ben Geelan recorded a single.
The highlight of the game may have come in the fourth inning. With runners at first and second and nobody out, the MoonDogs pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball: a triple play. Southers grounded out 4-6-3 for the first two outs, and Shaver Hansen (who was on second to start the play) was the third victim when he was tagged out by the shortstop Nicol after getting caught in a run-down between third base and home plate.
Danny Keefe had a no-decision in the start for Mankato, going four innings and giving up three hits. Jordan Tiegs (3-6) took the win in a two-inning relief appearance, surrendering Rochester’s only two runs. Chad Dawson got two strikeouts and walked one to finish the Honkers in the ninth, increasing his save total to 17, which leads the NWL. At the plate, Nicol went 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Abraham was also 2-4, scoring two runs and knocking in another.
Ryan Hill (1-3) suffered the loss for the Honkers. He gave up five runs (four earned) and six hits in five innings on the hill. He also walked four batters. Ryan Kussmaul and Sean Finn pitched effectively in relief of Hill, as neither gave up a run. Kussmaul went two innings and struck out two while Finn retired Mankato in order in the eighth. Featherston’s home run was his only official at-bat on the night; he ended the game 1-1 with a home run, two walks, and was hit by a pitch.
The Honkers will return home to the friendly confines of Mayo Field in Rochester on Monday night, where they will face the MoonDogs in the final game of the two-game set. The 7:05 p.m. match-up will be the last time the two teams meet this season, as Mankato currently holds a 5-2 advantage over Rochester.
August 4 , 2007
Waterlogged
(Rochester, MN)- Saturday night’s game between the Rochester Honkers (9-15, 27-31) and the Waterloo Bucks (10-15, 25-34) was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions.
Storm clouds were settled over Rochester for a majority of the day, finally subsiding at around 5:30 p.m. With the skies appearing to clear, the original 7:05 p.m. start time was pushed back to 7:30 p.m. However, a new system made its way into the area 30 minutes prior to game time. Sloppy playing conditions and a less-than promising forecast led to the decision to call that game at 8:15 p.m. The game will not be made up, as Saturday’s game was the last scheduled match-up between the Honkers and the Bucks.
The Honkers will get the night off before going back in action on Sunday, when they make the short trip to Mankato for a 6:05 p.m. game with the MoonDogs.
August 3 , 2007
Southers, Hoisington come up big again
(Rochester, MN)- For the second night in a row Joe Southers and Drew Hoisington combined to provide the winning run and the winning RBI for the Rochester Honkers. Southers doubled to lead off the eighth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly from Hoisington as the Honkers (9-15, 27-31) took a 2-1 victory from the Waterloo Bucks (10-15, 25-34) on Friday night at Mayo Field.
The Honkers, who have won only seven of 24 one-run games this season, have now won two one-run games in a row. In order to preserve a 1-1 tie for a majority of the game, the Honkers utilized three inning-ending double plays, keeping the Bucks off the board. A run-down between third and home in the third inning resulted in a double play when Waterloo’s Mark Pappas got greedy. Pitcher Dave Sever took care of that, as he threw out Pappas at third after tagging out Jeff Whitlow at the plate.
In the fifth inning, the Bucks were in a tailor-made run scoring situation. With Scott Dunwoody at third base and one out, Whitlow sent deep fly ball to right field that was caught by Aaron Senne. As Dunwoody tagged from third, Senne launched a bullet to catcher Derek Norris, who applied the tag before Dunwoody could reach home. The Honkers got their final double play in the seventh inning. Sever had worked himself into a bases-loaded, one-out jam when he got Whitlow to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Sever had one of his best outings of the year, spreading out six hits in seven innings while allowing only one run in the no-decision.
Both teams plated runs in the first inning, but the scoreboard would not light up again until the eighth. Jeff Lanning broke the goose egg for the Bucks when he was credited with an RBI on a ground-out the scored Whitlow in the top of the first. Brian Spear got the Honkers started in the home-half of the first. He brought home Aaron Senne with an RBI single after Senne doubled and stole third.
Reed Woytek (4-2) pitched the final two innings for the Honkers. He allowed only one hit in those two innings on his way to the victory. Josh Rickards did well in his no-decision start for the Bucks, as he allowed only four hits and one run in six innings. Josh Schneider (2-1) took the loss in relief for Waterloo. He gave up four hits and one run in two innings on the hill.
Joe Southers led the Honkers at the plate, going 2-3 with a double and a run scored. Derek Norris was also 2-3 on the night. The Honkers and the Bucks will face off one more time this season, as Mayo Field will be the site for the season finale on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.
August 2 , 2007
Honkers end losing streak in thriller
(Battle Creek, MI)- Craig Fritsch turned in his best start of the year as the Rochester Honkers got a much needed win on Thursday night in front of a national television audience on ESPNU. Joe Southers drove in two runs and scored the winning run as part of a three-run eighth inning that propelled the Honkers (8-15, 26-31) over the Battle Creek Bombers (7-16, 22-35) by a final score of 3-2 at C.O. Brown Stadium. The win breaks a franchise-high eight game losing streak for the Honkers in a pitcher’s duel that saw only nine total hits in the game.
Fritsch pitched brilliantly for the Honkers, though for seven innings it looked like he would have nothing to show for it. The Honkers did not record a hit until the seventh inning and didn’t score a run until the eighth. Trailing 1-0, the Honkers finally got on the board when Southers stepped in as a pinch-hitter for Jacob Spaeth. He drove a two-out, two-RBI double into the gap in right-center field off Drew Mahan that scored David Flores and Craig Lutes. Drew Hoisington brought Southers around to score in the next at-bat with a single that gave the Honkers a 3-1 lead. Fritsch (4-1) went seven innings and allowed only one run (unearned) while striking out four in the victory.
Sean Finn followed Fritsch on the hill in the bottom of the eighth. He gave up an RBI ground-out to Tony Sanchez that scored Mike Baillargeon, cutting the Honkers lead to 3-2. With runners at second and third and two outs in the inning, Hoisington saved the game with an amazing defensive play in center field. He made a diving, full-extension grab that robbed John Delaney of extra bases and a pair of RBI to end the inning. Mike Morrison silenced the Bombers in the ninth, as he struck out two to earn his third save of the season.
Through seven-plus innings, Battle Creek starter Eric Pettis was perfect. He retired the Honkers in order until Aaron Senne singled off of first base with two outs in the seventh inning. Pettis ended the game having struck out 10 batters in 7.2 innings while giving up three runs (all earned) on three hits. No Honker recorded more than one hit on the night, although Southers finished the game 1-1 with two RBI and a run scored. Tyler Hoechlin drove in the first run for the Bombers in the third inning.
The Honkers defeated the Bombers for the first and last time all season, as Battle Creek takes the season series 3-1. The Honkers return home to Mayo Field on Friday when they host the Waterloo Bucks at 7:05 p.m.
August 1 , 2007
Battle Creek drops bomb on Rochester
(Battle Creek, MI)- The Battle Creek Bombers abused the Rochester Honkers pitching staff on Wednesday night, compiling 10 runs and 17 hits in a 10-3 victory at C.O. Brown Stadium. The win snaps a four-game losing streak for Battle Creek (7-15, 22-34) while the loss extends the Rochester (7-15, 25-31) drought to eight games.
The Bombers scored their runs in bunches, putting up three in the fourth, three in the fifth, and four in the seventh. Sean Madigan went 4-5, Tony Asaro had a triple, two RBI and scored two runs, John Lee went 1-3 with two RBI and Clay Sartain had a pair of RBI to lead the Bombers. Jimmy Tanner, John Delaney and Mike Baillargeon each added an RBI to the total.
The Honkers held a 2-0 lead in the game after David Flores knocked in runs in the first and third innings. The Bombers took a 3-2 lead following the fourth before Derek Norris hit a run scoring single to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth. Delaney recorded what was essentially the winning run with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to give the Bombers a 4-3 lead.
Tim Radmacher (1-2) suffered the loss after going four-plus innings in his first start of the season. He gave up six runs (all earned) on 11 hits, issuing one walk and striking out one batter. Tim Scott replaced Radmacher on the Hill, surrendering four runs (two earned) on six hits in three innings. Mike Morrison pitched a scoreless eighth for the Honkers.
J.D. Haver (1-1) got the win for the Bombers. He went 5.2 innings, gave up six hits, allowed three runs, struck out three and walked seven. Matt Bowar notched his first save of the season in 3.1 innings of hitless ball, striking out two in the process. Brian Spear did not record an official at-bat on the night, as he was walked five times for the Honkers.
The Honkers have yet to defeat the Bombers in three tries this season. Thursday night will be their last chance to pick up a win over the expansion team, with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, the third Northwoods League game this season picked up by the ESPN affiliate.
August 1 , 2007
Honkers "Watch Party" at Buffalo Wild Wings
(Rochester, MN)- All Honkers fans are invited to attend the first Honkers “Watch Party” to be held at Buffalo Wild Wings on Thursday, August 2 at 7:05 p.m. The Honkers will be making their national television debut on ESPNU, as they take on the Battle Creek Bombers in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Buffalo Wild Wings will be hosting the “Watch Party” and will be showing the game on their big screen television. Fans will get a chance to gather with other Honkers fans and have the opportunity to win two passes to the Fox47 Sports Deck when the Honkers host the La Crosse Loggers on Sunday, August 12 at 3:05 p.m. The passes will be given to the best-dressed Honkers fan.
Don’t miss the chance to see your four-time Northwoods League (NWL) Champions at Buffalo Wild Wings with the rest of the Honkers faithful on ESPNU!
August 1 , 2007
Honkers on ESPNU
(Rochester, MN)- Your next chance to watch Northwoods League Baseball on national television is this Thursday, August 2nd when the Rochester Honkers visit the Battle Creek Bombers at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. Game time is set for 8:05 PM Eastern (7:05 PM Central). Clay Matvick and Keith Moreland will return as the broadcast team for the third consecutive game.
The Rochester Honkers are one of two original teams in the Northwoods League that remain playing in the league’s 14th season. The Battle Creek Bombers are one of two expansion teams that began play at the start of the 2007 season. The Green Bay Bullfrogs also joined the NWL this year and the Wisconsin (Wausau) Woodchucks are the other team that was around during the league’s inception in 1994. Thursday’s game will be third and final nationally televised Northwoods League game for the 2007 season.
Directly preceding the game broadcast on ESPNU is “Northwoods Baseball Weekly”. This week’s episode features the Battle Creek Bombers and the La Crosse Loggers from a two-game series played last week in Battle Creek. The weekly show gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the day in the life of those involved in the Northwoods League. The show will begin at 7:30 PM Eastern (6:30 PM Central) and lead into the start of the game broadcast. ESPNU is available on DirecTV Channel 609, Dish Network Channel 148, and some cable companies.
The Northwoods League plays more games, draws more fans, and plays in better venues than any Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. The league had 119 of its current players or alumni taken in June's Major League Baseball amateur draft and 86 of those players are now competing professionally along with hundreds of other NWL alumni.
July 31, 2007
Big hits escape Honkers
(Rochester, MN)- Jason Christian drove in the only run of the game in the fourth inning, as the Mankato MoonDogs topped the Rochester Honkers 1-0 in Rochester on Tuesday night. MoonDogs starter Danny Keefe (5-2) stifled the Honkers lineup with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Mankato (10-11, 27-28) sweeps the two-game series with the Honkers (7-14, 25-30), who have now dropped seven straight games.
Zach Robertson (4-4) put in a gutsy performance for the Honkers. He threw a total of 127 pitches in seven innings and struck out six, while spreading out eight hits and allowing only one run. In his last inning on the mound, Robertson issued a pair of walks and gave up a single to Ben Geelan, loading the bases. With the little gas he had left in his tank, Robertson struck out Alan Oaks swinging to keep the Mankato lead at the slimmest of margins.
Although the Honkers were out-hit by the MoonDogs 9-5, Rochester was not without opportunities. Aaron Senne and Shaver Hansen led off the sixth and seventh innings with doubles, respectively, but neither was able to score. Senne made it to third before being stranded and Hansen could not move beyond second base. The Honkers stranded a total of 10 base runners on the night; five of them were in scoring position.
The Honkers threatened one last time in the ninth. Hansen led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Southers. MoonDogs closer Chad Dawson got out of the inning when he struck out both Eric Gruhlke and Drew Hoisington to end the game. Dawson’s save (14) ties him for the Northwoods League (NWL) lead and was his second-straight of the series.
The Honkers will travel to Battle Creek on Wednesday to start a two game set with the Bombers. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 6:05 p.m. CDT, 7:05 p.m. EST.
July 30, 2007
Offensive woes continue in loss at Mankato
(Mankato, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (7-13, 25-29) could only produce one run on Monday night, as they came up short in their sixth straight game. Garett Claypool picked up his first win of the season and James Keithley scored three times as the Mankato MoonDogs (9-12, 26-28) defeated the Honkers 3-1 at Franklin Rogers Park.
The Honkers got their first and only run of the game when David Flores took MoonDog reliever Adam Abraham deep with two outs in the seventh inning, making the score 2-1. The long ball is the fourth for Flores this season, and number 51 for the Honkers as a team. The Honkers’ record for home runs in a year is 55 (1999) while the Northwoods League (NWL) record is 59 (St. Cloud, 1997).
The lone homer was not quite enough run production for Honkers starter Greg Martin. He did put in a solid performance despite the lack of runs, going 7.1 innings while striking out eight in the loss. Martin (7-2) gave up four hits and three runs (two earned).
Abraham brought Keithley home on an RBI double in the fourth inning for the first run of the game, giving the MoonDogs a 1-0 advantage. Keithley scored two more times in the game, both as a result of sacrifice flies. Sean Nicol brought him home in the sixth to make the score 2-0, and Nate Hanson did the same in the seventh, making the score 3-1 Mankato. Keithley went 2-2 with a pair of walks on the night.
The Honkers did have chances to put up more runs, but couldn’t capitalize. In the top of the fifth, Drew Hoisington led off with a double; as the inning ended, however, he found himself stranded at third. Hoisington ended the game 2-3 with a double and two walks. In the top of the sixth, the Honkers loaded the bases but came away empty handed when pinch-hitter Brian Spear grounded into a fielder’s choice. The game also ended with Spear at the plate and two runners aboard, as he flew out deep to right field.
Chad Dawson made things interesting in the ninth after a hit batter and a walk, but he struck out two and got out of the inning unharmed to earn the save (13) for Mankato. Claypool (1-1) allowed only three hits and struck out nine in 6.1 innings for the win. The MoonDogs, who lead the season series with the Honkers 3-2, will make the trip to Rochester on Tuesday to finish the two-game set. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. at Rochester’s Mayo Field.
July 28, 2007
Honkers come back, still come up short
(Thunder Bay, ON)- The Rochester Honkers (7-12, 25-28) erased a four-run deficit against the Thunder Bay Border Cats (8-12, 21-33) on Saturday night, only to give up the winning run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning. The 5-4 loss is their fifth in a row. Two of Thunder Bay’s five runs came as a result of wild pitches.
Aaron Senne hit his Northwoods League-leading ninth homer of the year with a two-run blast in top of the seventh inning that tied the game at 4-4. The other two Honkers runs came in the sixth inning, as Brian Spear hit an RBI double and David Flores knocked in a run with a single.
Thunder Bay recorded the first four runs of the game in the first two innings. Nathan Faulkner scored the first run on a wild pitch by Honkers starter Ryan Hill. Chris Curley and Kyle Dudley gave the Border Cats a 3-0 advantage when each recorded RBI singles to close out the first inning. Steven Boldt made the Border Cat lead 4-0 in the second when he scored after Ryan Hill picked off a base runner that gave him just enough time to cross the plate.
With the game tied at 4-4 going into the eighth, Ryan Kussmaul entered the game out of the Honkers’ bullpen. He issued a walk to Dudley, who advanced to second one batter later on a sacrifice bunt. A passed ball charged to the catcher, Spear, moved Dudley to third base. A wild pitch from Kussmaul brought Dudley home to score the winning run for Thunder Bay.
Josh Moffitt picked up his second save of the series (5) when he struck out the side in the ninth. Ryan Ackland (1-1) earned the win in a relief appearance for Thunder Bay. He gave up two runs (both earned) off three hits and walked a batter in two innings of work. The loss was charged to Kussmaul (0-2), who could only go 0.2 innings while surrendering one run (unearned) off one hit and a walk.
Neither starter had a decision in the game. Matt Fields went six innings, struck out six and allowed two runs for the Border Cats. The six strikeouts for Fields gives him 28 on the year against the Honkers. Ryan Hill gave up four runs (two earned), seven hits, and three walks in five innings for the Honkers.
The loss continues a disturbing trend in close games for the Honkers; they are 5-16 in one-run games and 1-9 when the score is tied after seven innings. Rochester has a day off on Sunday to re-group before taking on the Mankato MoonDogs on Monday in Mankato at 7:05 p.m.
July 27, 2007
Honkers lose early lead
(Thunder Bay, ON)- The Rochester Honkers (7-11, 25-27) dropped their fourth straight game on Friday night after building an early 3-0 lead. The Thunder Bay Border Cats (7-12, 20-33) scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning to erase a three-run deficit and take the game, 4-3. Neither team scored after the second inning.
Things looked good early for the Honkers. Drew Hoisington tallied an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the first inning that scored Sam Testa to give the Honkers a 1-0 lead. Rochester extended their lead in the top of the second inning after Testa singled to score Craig Lutes and Aaron Senne knocked in a base hit that brought home Jacob Spaeth. After one and half innings, the Honkers led 3-0.
The momentum switched in the home half of the second. After a pair of walks from Honkers starter Dave Sever, Kyle Dudley notched an RBI double that brought Brandon McCall around to score. Then, with the bases loaded and Thunder Bay trailing 3-1, Gabe Marchant belted a bases-clearing triple that brought home three runs to give the Border Cats a lead they would not surrender.
The Honkers’ pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts on the night. Sever (2-5), who took the loss, struck out six, Sean Finn struck out one, Tim Scott added one, and Mike Morrison got two Border Cats out on strikes. Sever went five innings and allowed four runs (all earned) on four hits. He also walked four batters. For Thunder Bay, Steven Vasquez (3-0) went five innings and gave up three runs off four hits in the winning effort. Josh Moffitt struck out two batters in the ninth on his way to his fourth save of the season.
The Honkers will try to break their four-game losing streak tomorrow night when they face the Border Cats for the last time this season. The game will begin at 6:05 p.m. CDT. The Honkers currently lead the season series, 4-3.
July 27, 2007
Dorado to negotiate contract
(Rochester, MN)- Reyes Dorado, a starting pitcher for the Rochester Honkers, will be returning home to California for the remainder of the summer to negotiate a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates Organization. The Pirates selected Dorado with the 1,349th pick in the 46th round of the 2007 MLB First Year Player Draft.
The sophomore, who completed his sophomore season at Riverside Community College (CA) this spring, didn’t sign with the Honkers until July 3. He had played in only four games for the team in 2007, starting all of them. Dorado solidified himself in the starting rotation, putting together a 2-1 record with a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings pitched. Dorado had his best outing in a July 19 contest against the St. Cloud River Bats. He went six innings, struck out five, and gave up two runs (one earned) on only three hits.
“Dorado was a quality arm in our starting rotation,” Coach Brett Lindgren said. “We knew that he would give us six strong innings no matter how he was feeling.”
Dorado is the third player the Honkers have lost this year due to professional signings or negotiations. Efren Navarro, Jr. left the team on June 25 to sign with a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Jareck West departed on July 1 to sign with a minor league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
“The team will miss Reyes,” Lindgren said. “He made a positive impact both on and off the field, and the Honkers wish him the best in the negotiation process.”
July 26, 2007
Honkers and River Bats rained out after first
(Rochester, MN)- Thursday night’s game between the Rochester Honkers (7-10, 25-26) and the St. Cloud River Bats (7-10, 28-23) was called due to unplayable field conditions following a one hour and 26 minute rain delay that began after one inning had been completed. The game, which was the last between the two teams this season, will not be rescheduled.
The River Bats take the season series with the Honkers, 4-3.
The Honkers were leading the game 1-0 after a lead-off blast by Sam Testa went over the scoreboard in right field. As the teams were warming up for the second inning, the winds picked up and the rains came down. The delay started at 7:32 p.m. and the game was called at 8:58 p.m.
The Honkers will pack their bags and head north early on Friday morning to open up a two-game series with the Thunder Bay Border Cats. The first game is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. CDT on Friday.
July 25, 2007
Honkers drop third straight
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (7-10, 25-26) rallied with three runs in the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough to get past the St. Cloud River Bats (7-10, 28-23) on Wednesday night. The River Bats took an early 5-1 lead and would hold on for a 5-4 victory, increasing the Honkers’ losing streak to three while snapping a three game skid of their own. The loss drops Rochester’s record in one-run games to 5-14.
Jeff Hulett hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning off Honkers starter Reyes Dorado to start the scoring for St. Cloud. He picked up another RBI by way of a single in the third inning as part of a two-run inning that would give the River Bats a 3-0 lead. The other run scored because of an error by catcher Derek Norris, when he dropped a throw from Craig Lutes on a play at the plate.
St. Cloud picked up another run in the fifth inning when Adam Yeager drew a bases loaded walk, making the score 4-0 River Bats. The Honkers got on the board for the first time in the sixth inning when Brian Spear hit a pop-up to right field that Hulett lost in the night sky. As the ball dropped to the grass, Aaron Senne came all the way around to score from first, making the score 4-1.
After allowing a fifth run to score in the top of the seventh, the Honkers rallied in the home half. River Bats starter Kurtis Frymier walked a pair and Jacob Spaeth reached on a fielder’s choice that permitted Derek Norris to reach second safely due to a St. Cloud error. With the bases loaded, the River Bats went to the bullpen and Sean Wideberg. The next batter, Aaron Senne, fell in the count 0-2 to Wideberg before battling back and earning a walk that scored Norris. Brian Spear then came through with two-RBI single that scored Spaeth and Sam Testa.
Trailing 5-4, the Honkers took the momentum they gained in the seventh into the eighth. David Flores led off the inning with a single and Norris was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with no out for the Honkers. Following Norris’ trip to first, the River Bats went to their closer, Ryan Wrobel, to get them out of the jam. After a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Drew Hoisington moved the runners to second and third, he did just what he was sent to do. Both Shaver Hansen and Spaeth went down on strikes to end the threat.
Wrobel struck out two more in the ninth and got Spear to fly out to short to end the game. For Wrobel it was his 14th save of the season, as he struck out four and didn’t allow a hit in two innings. Frymier (1-2) got the win, striking out eight and allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits in 6.2 innings. Dorado (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season. He went five innings, allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and walked seven.
Testa went 2-4 and Spear had two RBI to lead the Honkers in the losing cause. Hulett was the main producer for the River Bats, going 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Rochester will host St. Cloud in the finale of the season series on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Mayo Field. The River Bats currently lead the series, 4-3.
July 24, 2007
Honkers lose a pitchers duel
(Eau Claire, WI)- Rochester Honkers starting pitcher Zach Robertson and Eau Claire Express starter Shane Dyer went toe-to-toe in a classic pitchers duel on Tuesday night at Eau Claire’s Carson Park. In the end, neither would get a decision as the Express (12-3, 29-20) got a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth from Bryan Frew to defeat the Honkers (7-9, 25-25) by a final of 3-2.
Both pitchers were brilliant, as neither gave up a hit until the sixth inning. In the sixth, the Honkers struck first when Brett Featherston hit a two-RBI double that scored Drew Hoisington and Brian Spear. Featherston ended the game going 1-3 with two RBI, recording Rochester’s only hit of the night.
Trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, Eau Claire would fight back to even the score. An RBI double by Nick Wichser that scored Jonathan Merritt cut the Rochester lead to 2-1. With Wichser at second, David Caels plated a single to right field. Aaron Senne fielded the single and threw home to try to keep Wichser from scoring the tying run. Senne’s throw was right on, but catcher Joe Southers couldn’t handle the throw and was charged with an error to allow Eau Claire to tie the game, 2-2.
The score would remain 2-2 until the bottom of the ninth, when Honkers reliever Reed Woytek replaced Robertson. Woytek gave up a lead-off single to Bryce Nimmo, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Caels. Frew then recorded a base hit that easily scored Nimmo for the winning run.
Zach Robertson struck out 10 in eight innings of work. He walked only one and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits. Dyer nearly went the distance for Eau Claire, as he recorded 26 of 27 outs. He went 8.2, struck out six, walked six and allowed only one hit. Woytek (3-2) took the loss for Rochester as he recorded one out in the ninth inning, while Caels (1-0) got the win by getting the last out for Eau Claire.
Eau Claire completed the two-game sweep of the Honkers, and took the season series 3-1. Rochester has lost five of their last seven games as their record falls to 5-13 in one-run games and 1-8 when tied after seven innings. They will try to turn things around when they return to Mayo Field on Wednesday to open a two-game series with the St. Cloud River Bats at 7:05 p.m.
July 23, 2007
Eau Claire hands Martin first loss
(Eau Claire, WI)- The Eau Claire Express (11-3, 28-20) scored five runs in the sixth inning to get past the Rochester Honkers (7-8, 25-24) on Monday night in Eau Claire, 6-3. Greg Martin (7-1) was responsible for three of those runs as he suffered his first loss of season.
After giving up a run in the second inning, Martin cruised until the sixth. He recorded two outs before giving up a single, a double, and a walk to load the bases. Martin’s night ended following those three batters, but his final line was not complete. Left-hander Tim Scott came in and issued two walks and threw a wild pitch as three runs scored, all of which were charged to Martin. Another run scored after catcher Derek Norris committed a throwing error following the wild pitch. Kole Calhoun then drove in an RBI to end the big inning for the Express, as they took a 6-3 lead.
The Honkers scored on only one play all evening. Drew Hoisington plated a single that scored two runs in the third inning, and a throwing error from Calhoun in the outfield allowed a third run to cross the plate to give the Honkers a 3-1 lead. The Express scored the first run of the game in the second inning when Bryce Nimmo hit a sacrifice fly off Martin.
Calhoun shut down Rochester in the ninth to earn the save. Wes Simmons (3-2) went eight innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits to get the win. Martin ended up going 5.1 innings in the loss. He allowed four runs off six hits and five walks. Hoisington went 2-4 with two RBI and Sam Testa also went 2-4 for the Honkers. Ian Hollick and Jacob Jefferies each had two hits for the Express and Nimmo had two RBI.
The Honkers will try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Express Tuesday night at Carson Park in Eau Claire. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m. The game will be the last between the Honkers and the Express this year, with Eau Claire currently leading the season series, 2-1.
July 23, 2007
Honkers sign second MATC prospect
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers have announced today the signing of Jacob Spaeth, a 5’8”, 170-pound infielder out of Madison Area Technical College (MATC). The sophomore joins MATC teammate Ryan Kussmaul and future teammates Sean Finn and Ryan hill, as he will attend the University of Dayton in the fall.
Spaeth will play in the infield for the Honkers, although he is capable of playing in the outfield as well. This spring for the Wolfpack, the speedy Spaeth hit .318 in 53 games and led the team in stolen bases (30 in 33 attempts). He also recorded nine doubles, three triples, drove in 36 runs and hit two long balls. Following the departures of shortstop Matt Gaski and third baseman Raynor Campbell, Spaeth will be a big factor in the Honker lineup.
Spaeth comes to the Honkers with previous experience in the Northwoods League (NWL). Last summer, in a stint with the Wisconsin Woodchucks, he played in four games and had two hits, an RBI and a walk. In all four of those games Spaeth served as the left fielder.
The native of West Bend, WI will be in the lineup for the first time on Monday night in Eau Claire. The Honkers open up a two-game set with the Express at 7:05 p.m. Rochester will not be gone for long, as they return to the friendly confines of Mayo Field to host the St. Cloud River Bats on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:05 p.m.
July 22, 2007
Honkers rally in ninth, pick up win
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (7-7, 25-23) scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to steal a 5-4 victory away from the Thunder Bay Border Cats (5-9, 18-30) on Sunday afternoon at Mayo Field. The Honkers trailed the game 4-1 going into their final at-bat before the Border Cats walked three batters, hit two more and committed an error to help the Honkers avoid a third straight loss.
For eight innings it looked as though the Border Cats had the game well in hand. Sam Testa led off the game with his first home run of the season, giving the Honkers an early 1-0 advantage. They then went scoreless for the next seven innings, surrendering four runs to Thunder Bay in the process.
Terry Goddard picked up two RBI on a bloop single that gave the Border Cats a 2-1 lead in the third inning. They got two more runs in the top of the sixth when Nathan Faulkner took a Ryan Hill delivery deep to left, as the Border Cats took a comfortable 4-1 lead.
Thunder Bay got a solid performance from their starting pitcher, Morgan Carlile. He went seven innings, allowed eight hits and gave up only one run. Dan Zehr followed with a one inning of scoreless pitching before Josh Moffitt came in to close the game out in the ninth. That’s when things went south for the Border Cats.
Moffitt hit Craig Lutes, walked Joe Southers, and gave up a base hit to David Flores to load the bases. He then walked Testa and Aaron Senne, scoring two runs without having recorded an out. With the score 4-3 in favor of Thunder Bay, Ryan Ackland took Moffitt’s place on the mound. Ackland hit Drew Hoisington on his first delivery, allowing Flores to score. With the game tied 4-4, Ackland was able to strike out Brett Featherston to record the first out of the inning. The next batter, Brian Spear, hit a grounder to second baseman Brandon McCall that he could not handle, allowing Testa to score the winning run.
Reed Woytek (3-2) earned the win while Ackland (0-2) took the loss. Testa ended the game going 2-4 with a pair of RBI to lead the Honkers, as both Faulkner and Goddard had two RBI for the Border Cats. Testa’s home run gives the Honkers a total of 49 on the season, which leads the Northwoods League (NWL). The NWL record for home runs in a season is 59, set by St. Cloud in 1997.
There were a few notable absences from the Honkers lineup in Sunday’s game. Third baseman Raynor Campbell and shortstop Matt Gaski will not be with the team for the remainder of the season. Campbell suffered a knee injury that will keep him out of action, while Gaski is going home for family reasons. Rochester will be in action next on Monday, when they travel to Eau Claire to take on the Express in a two game series that is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m.
July 21, 2007
Honkers one-hit in loss to Border Cats
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (6-7, 24-23) were held hitless by Matt Fields for six innings as the Thunder Bay Border Cats (5-8, 18-29) cruised to a 4-0 victory on Saturday night at Mayo Field. Fields (5-3) ended up going eight innings, allowing one hit and striking out 12 in the win.
Fields faced the Honkers for the first time on June 5. In that game, he struck out 10 batters but took the loss in a 3-1 decision. His counterpart in that game was Dave Sever, who got the win while striking out nine. The two did battle again on Saturday, this time with opposite results. Sever (2-4) took the tough loss, as he went 5.1 innings and struck out eight. He allowed four runs off seven hits, however, which was more than enough cushion for the Border Cats.
Brandon McCall hit a solo homer in the top of the second inning that would prove to be the winning run. Thunder Bay added two insurance runs in the fourth on a two-RBI double by Kyle Dudley, making the score 3-0. Dudley then scored the last run of the game in the sixth, when he came home on a sacrifice fly from Danny Benedetti.
The no-hitter was broken up in the seventh after Brett Featherston hit a double off the right field wall to lead off the inning. He would advance no further, however, as Fields struck out the side. Derek Norris, Brian Spear, and David Flores all fell victim to Fields, ending the threat. The Honkers would threaten again in the eighth inning, as Fields issued two of his four walks on the night to put runners at first and second with one out. Again, Rochester would come up empty as Shaver Hansen and Drew Hoisington both went down on strikes.
Temple MacDonald went 2-5 with a run scored and Kyle Dudley drove in a pair for the Border Cats. Featherston was the only Honker to record a hit; Sam Testa reached on an error.
The once-hot Rochester Honkers offense has been struggling as of late; they have combined for only four hits and no runs in the last two games. The Honkers were also held hitless for nine straight innings in that span, from the seventh inning on Friday through the sixth inning on Saturday. The Honkers will try to wake up their bats on Sunday afternoon when they face the Border Cats for the series finale at 3:05 p.m. in Rochester.
July 20, 2007
Honkers sign RCTC standout
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers have announced today the signing of Eric Gruhlke, a 6’2”, 200-pound outfielder from Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC). The sophomore, who was born in Rochester and attended high school at Kasson-Manterville, will attend Viterbo University in the fall.
Due to a rash of injuries and departures the Honkers have suffered this season, Gruhlke will provide some depth and the ability to play anywhere on the field; he also played infield, pitcher and catcher for the Yellow Jackets in 2007.
This past season, Gruhlke hit .368 for RCTC and led the team with 23 RBI. He also led the team with 10 doubles and had 35 hits, which was good for second on the team. Gruhlke found himself on the mound as well, logging 7.2 innings while recording six strikeouts and compiling a 3.52 ERA.
So far this season the Honkers have lost five players, including two outfielders. Outfielder Chris Jones (Cal State Fullerton) left the team on July 5 due to a wrist injury, outfielder Jareck West signed a minor league contract with Oakland on July 1, infielder Efren Navarro, Jr. signed a minor league contract with Los Angeles of Anaheim on June 25, pitcher Ryan Mullins (Winthrop) left the same day with an injury, and catcher Orlando Torres (Riverside CC) left with a finger injury on June 19.
Gruhlke will join the team when they return home from their most recent road trip, which concludes in St. Cloud on Friday night. The Honkers will open a two-game home stand on Saturday, when they host the Thunder Bay Border Cats. On Monday they will be back on the road, when they travel to Eau Claire for a pair with the Express.
July 20, 2007
River Bats shut-out Honkers for second time
(St. Cloud, MN)- For the first time in a long time, it can be said that the Rochester Honkers struggled on offense. The St. Cloud River Bats (5-7, 26-20) used four pitchers to hold the potent Honkers (6-6, 24-22) offense to only three hits on Friday night, coming away with a 9-0 victory in St. Cloud.
The shutout is the third for the Honkers this season, and twice it has been at the hands of the River Bats. St. Cloud held Rochester scoreless in an 8-0 victory on June 20, and the Brainerd Blue Thunder defeated the Honkers 7-0 on June 29. The Honkers had runners in scoring position only three times all night.
Michael Hill (2-1) got the start and the win for the River Bats. He went 6 innings and allowed only three hits and no runs. Sean Wideberg, Andy Suiter and Nick Sutherland threw the last three innings for St. Cloud, holding Rochester hitless. Craig Fritsch (3-1) took the loss for the Honkers, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Sean Finn gave up three runs in one inning and Tim Radmacher allowed two in two innings pitched.
Both teams were scoreless until the bottom of the fourth innings, when an error by first baseman Brett Featherston allowed the first run to score. T.J. Thompson and Jeff Hulett had RBI singles and D.J. Belfonte added a run-scoring triple in the fifth as the River Bats took a 4-0 lead. St. Cloud put up three more in the sixth thanks to RBI by Thompson, Hulett, and Matt Fanelli, making the score 7-0. Fanelli and Thompson each had an RBI in the seventh to round out the scoring.
David Flores and Derek Norris each had a single and Drew Hoisington had a triple as the only Honkers to get hits on the night. For the River Bats, Thompson was 3-4 with three RBI, Fanelli went 3-4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, and Hulett went 2-4 with a pair of RBI. The Honkers will try to get the offense back on track Saturday night when they host the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the first of two at 7:05 p.m.
July 19, 2007
Strong pitching paves way for Honkers win
(St. Cloud, MN)- Aaron Senne hit a solo shot in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and the Rochester Honkers (6-5, 24-21) didn’t look back from there as they went on to defeat the St. Cloud River Bats (4-7, 25-20) by a final of 7-2 on Thursday night.
Senne’s homer gives him eight on the year, tying him with teammate Drew Hoisington for tops in the Northwoods League (NWL). Mike Morrison recorded seven strikeouts in the last three innings and the Honkers scored five unanswered runs to close out the game.
The Honkers got their first two scores of the game thanks to a pair of two-out, RBI doubles by Brett Featherston and Matt Gaski. Featherston picked up his run-producing double in the top of the first inning, while Gaski came through in the second to give the Honkers an early 2-0 lead. The River Bats came back with runs in the second and third innings to tie the game at 2-2 after three innings.
Following Senne’s homer, Rochester broke the game open by scoring four runs in the eighth and ninth innings. David Flores scored from third in the eighth when Craig Lutes stole second base. The Honkers then got three in the top half of the ninth off of a throwing error by River Bats pitcher Nick Sutherland, an RBI single by Flores, and an RBI on a ground out by Shaver Hansen.
Reyes Dorado (2-0) pitched well in his third start of the year, as he went six innings, struck out five and allowed two runs. Morrison had his best outing of the season for his second save, as he held the River Bats hitless in addition to the seven strikeouts. Senne ended the game going 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Gaski was 2-4 with an RBI. Kurtis Frymier (0-2) pitched well, but took the loss in six innings. He gave up five hits and three runs.
Rochester will stay in St. Cloud for another night, as they will face the River Bats again on Friday at 7:05 p.m. The Honkers currently lead the season series with the Bats 3-2, and they will try to pick up their first sweep against them on Friday.
July 18, 2007
Big inning lifts Mallards over Honkers
(Madison, WI)- The Madison Mallards (3-7, 19-25) put up nine runs in the sixth inning to pull away for an easy 12-4 victory over the Rochester Honkers (5-5, 23-21) on Wednesday night in Madison. The game was tied at 3-3 before the outburst by the Mallards.
Madison scored the first three runs of the game before the Honkers got back into the game by scoring two in the third and one in the sixth. Brett Featherston recorded a two-RBI single in the third to pull within one and Brian Spear scored on a double play in the sixth to tie the game. In a game that was lacking highlights as far as the Honkers were concerned, Featherston was the lone bright spot. He went 2-4 with a home run and three RBI. The home run, which came in the eighth, was his fifth of the season.
The Mallards started their scoring in the home half of the sixth inning when Brandon Wikoff bunted with the bases loaded and one out. The bunt was fielded by Honkers third baseman Raynor Campbell, who committed a throwing error that cleared the bases and resulted in three runs for Madison. Randy Molina had a two-run homer, Adam Pasono hit a double that scored three, and Ryan Tinkoff recorded an RBI single before the Mallards were retired in the inning.
Zach Robertson (4-3) took the loss on the mound for the Honkers in 5.1 innings. He struck out six, walked four, gave up seven hits and allowed six runs, three of which were earned. Michael Hutts (3-2) earned the win for the Mallards, as he went six innings and allowed only two hits and three runs. Tinkoff ended the game going 3-5 with an RBI, Molina had a home run and two RBI, and Eric Nielsen had a pair of RBI in the Mallards’ victory.
With Wednesday’s night’s loss, the Honkers ended their season series with the Mallards at 2-2. Rochester will try to recover from the loss when they travel to St. Cloud to take on the River Bats for a two-game set that will start Thursday at 7:05 p.m.
July 18, 2007
Saddler returns to Honkers
(Rochester, MN )- Mike Saddler, a former player and coach for the Rochester Honkers, will join the team for the remainder of the 2007 Northwoods League (NWL) season. Saddler will arrive in Rochester on Friday, July 20, and will join the team when they return home to host Thunder Bay on July 21.
Saddler started his career with the Honkers as a player in the summer of 2004. As a relief pitcher on a Honkers team that finished the season with a 36-26 record, Saddler notched two saves and compiled an ERA 3.80 in 42.2 innings on the mound. Saddler then returned to the Honkers as a pitching coach in 2005 and 2006, helping the team to the 2006 NWL Championship. Under his tutelage, the Honkers pitching staff set a record with a 3.06 ERA in 2005 only to break it again in 2006 with a 2.31 team ERA.
“I am excited to get a chance to lead the team as we try to get back to the playoffs and defend the title we won last season,” Saddler said. “I thought I wanted to take a summer off from baseball, but the last few weeks I have really been getting the itch to get back on the field.”
Currently the head assistant and pitching coach at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, Saddler started out as an assistant in 2004. He began his collegiate career as a player at Colby Community College in Kansas, and then had a short stay at Montclair State University in New Jersey before graduating from the University of Kansas in 2006. Despite being a new face to the 2007 team, Saddler will be familiar with a handful of players.
“With so many new guys in the this year, having players like Tim Radmacher, Brett Featherston and Dave Sever will help since they have been around me as a coach before,” Saddler said. “They know what to expect from me and can help me learn about all the new players.”
The Honkers currently find themselves short a coach with the departure of Field Manager Greg Labbe on July 12. Labbe left the team in order to return to Florida and join his wife, Heather, for the birth of their first child. As of July 18, the Honkers are stuck in a four-way tie for first place in the second half of the NWL North Division at 5-4, along with Duluth, Brainerd, and Alexandria.
“I think that with the talent that is in place, this team is poised for a great run in the second half,” Saddler said. “Hopefully we can use that to carry us into the post season."
July 17, 2007
Honkers invade Duck Pond
(Madison, WI)- David Flores hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning and Greg Martin picked up his Northwoods League (NWL) leading seventh win on the mound as the Rochester Honkers (5-4, 23-20) traveled to the Duck Pond in Madison to defeat the Mallards (2-7, 18-25) 8-4 on Tuesday night.
The Honkers jumped out to an early lead in the game, as they put four on the board before the Mallards had their first score. Drew Hoisington hit a double to score Raynor Campbell in the first inning, who doubled to lead off the game. Craig Lutes picked up an RBI on a ground-out in the second inning and added two more on a single in the sixth, as he ended the game with a season-high three RBI.
Madison made their run in the seventh inning. Trailing 4-0, Brandon Wikoff had a two-RBI single that was followed by an RBI single from Evan LeBlanc as the Mallards cut the Honker lead to 4-3. Flores made sure that would be as close as they would get, however, as his two-run homer gave the Honkers a 6-3 cushion in the top of the eighth. After giving up run in the bottom half, Derek Norris recorded an RBI and the Honkers scored another run thanks to an error by Mallards first baseman Randy Molina in the ninth. Madison committed five errors in the game, as three of the eight runs scored by Rochester were unearned.
Flores finished the game only a triple shy of the cycle, as he was 3-4 with two RBI. Hoisington had a good night at the plate as well, going 3-5 with one RBI. Martin (7-0) went 6.1 innings in the start and allowed only two runs. Reed Woytek earned his team-leading fourth save of the season, as he came out for the final two innings. Madsion starter Nick Kirk (1-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing eight hits and four runs in six innings. Jordan Comadena was 2-4 with a run scored in the loss.
The Mallards and the Honkers will due battle again on Wednesday night in Madison at 7:05 p.m. The Honkers currently lead the season series between the two teams at 2-1, with Wednesday’s match-up to be the last between the two teams this year.
July 16, 2007
Bats Split Series with Honkers
(Rochester, MN)-The battle of the birds took place tonight at Mayo Field as the River Bats defeated the Honkers 6-5 and gained a split in the two-game series at Mayo Field. Rochester (22-20, 4-4) falls to 4-4 in the second half and St. Cloud (24-18, 3-5) improves to 3-5.
St. Cloud broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 3rd plating 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 Honker errors. Rochester responded loudly in the bottom scoring 3 runs of their own to take the 3-2 lead. Drew Hoisington crushed a one out solo home run to left to give the Honkers their first run of the game. This was Hoisington's league leading 8th long ball of the season. Sam Testa then followed with a walk to bring Brian Spear to the plate. Spear then took River Bats starting pitcher Buddy Baumann deep to right center that cleared the 345' marker and give Rochester the 3-2 lead. This was Spear's 4th home run of the season and also the Honkers 45th home run of the season.
St. Cloud then took the 4-3 advantage scoring 2 runs in the top of the 5th. Rochester again responded back in the bottom scoring a single run to tie the game at 4. With one out, Sam Testa drew a walk and then stole second and third and was brought home courtesy of a Brain Spear sacrifice fly.
The two teams went scoreless into the 9th when with two outs, the River Bats rallied for 2 runs to take the 6-4 lead into the bottom. Rochester made it close scoring 1 run on 1 hit and leaving 2 on base as the Bats earned the 6-5 victory.
Ryan Hill started on the mound for Rochester going 4.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and striking out 2 before being relieved by Sean Finn. Finn finished the final 4.1 innings of working giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and fanning 4. Finn was given the loss as his record falls to 1-6 on the season.
Offensively the Honkers were led by Brian Spear who went 2-4 with 3 RBI including his 4th homer of the season and Drew Hoisington went 1-5 with 2 RBI including his League's best 8th home run on the year.
Rochester begins a 4-game road trip starting tomorrow when they travel to Madison for a two-game set with the Mallards followed by a return match with the Bats in St. Cloud, another 2-game affair. The Honkers will then return home on Saturday night when they take on the Thunder Bay Border Cats for the weekend series.
July 15, 2007
Early lead enough for Honkers
(Rochester, MN)- Brett Featherston hit a two-run bomb in the first inning as the Rochester Honkers (22-19, 4-3) coasted to a 5-3 win over the St. Cloud River Bats (23-18, 2-5) on Sunday afternoon at Mayo Field. The Honkers scored five runs before the River Bats could get on the board on their way to their fourth win in five games.
Rochester capitalized on an error and two wild pitches by St. Cloud to score four unearned runs in the victory. Dave Sever (2-3) won his first decision since June 5 in a five-inning, four-hit performance. He struck out four, walked one, and didn’t give up a run. Brett Featherston led the Honkers at the dish, going 2-4 with two RBI. Raynor Campbell chipped in by scoring a run and going 2-4.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead after one, the Honkers finished their scoring with three runs in the third. Aaron Senne had an RBI single in the inning, Drew Hoisington hit a sacrifice fly that scored one, and David Flores rounded out the scoring with an RBI single that scored Brian Spear from second.
The River Bats would chip away at the lead, as they scored a run in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings. They looked to have a rally going in the ninth after closer Reed Woytek gave up a pair of walks and an RBI double to Tim Wheeler, cutting the Honker lead to 5-3. He got out of the jam when he sat down Brian Hernandez swinging, recording his third strikeout of the inning and his third save of the year. Tim Radmacher effectively held the Honkers’ lead for three innings between Sever and Woytek, as he allowed two runs on five hits without issuing a free pass.
Issac Morales (4-2) suffered the loss on the mound for St. Cloud, allowing all five Rochester runs in five innings. Tim Wheeler led the River Bats with a great offensive showing in the loss, going 4-5 with an RBI and a run scored. The Honkers and the River Bats will close their two-game series on Monday night, when the two teams square off at Mayo Field in a 7:05 p.m. start.
July 14, 2007
Honkers pound MoonDogs late
(Mankato, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (21-19, 3-3) didn’t have a hit through the first five innings against the Mankato MoonDogs (18-22, 1-5) on Saturday night in Mankato. That all changed in the final stages of the game, as the Honkers broke out for three home runs in the final two innings to take an 8-4 decision from the MoonDogs.
Brian Spear had a two-run home run in the eighth, Raynor Campbell had a two-run homer in the ninth, and Aaron Senne finished off a big day with a solo shot in the ninth to spark the Honkers, who trailed the game 2-0 before scoring five unanswered runs. Rochester has now hit a Northwoods League (NWL) best 42 home runs on the season.
Besides his home run, Senne picked up an RBI in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Derek Norris hit an RBI single in the seventh to give the Honkers their first lead at 3-2. Joe Southers made sure the score would stay that way in the bottom of the inning, when he threw the potential tying run out at home to end a Mankato threat. Spear’s home run in the top of the eighth gave the Honkers what seemed to be a comfortable 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
The Honkers would get into trouble in the home half, when reliever Ryan Kussmaul loaded the bases without retiring a runner. Tim Scott then came into the game and allowed one run to cross on an RBI single from Mike Lobacz before picking up a crucial 1-2-3 double play. After Scott walked a batter to load the bases again, Jeffrey DeSmidt laced a base hit to right field that allowed a run to score. With the tying run being waved home, Senne fired a strike to catcher Derek Norris who applied the tag at the plate for the second time in as many innings, preserving a 5-4 Honkers lead.
Leading by a run going into the ninth, the Honkers finished off the MoonDogs with three runs, courtesy of the long balls by Campbell and Senne. Mike Morrison came in to pitch a scoreless bottom half as Rochester evened the season series with Mankato at 2-2.
Craig Fritsch (3-0) picked up the win after going seven innings with seven strikeouts and allowing two runs. Luke Vine (3-3) took the loss for the MoonDogs after giving up three runs (two earned) in 6.1 innings. Senne was 2-5 with two RBI on the night and Brian Spear was 1-2 with two RBI for Rochester. For Mankato, Sean Nicol was 3-5 and Nate Hansen went 3-4 in the losing effort. The Honkers will return home to Mayo Field to open up a two-game set with the St. Cloud River Bats on Sunday afternoon at 3:05.
July 13, 2007
Wild pitches hurt Honkers
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (20-19, 2-3) out-hit the Mankato MoonDogs (18-21, 1-4) 6-2 on Friday night, but fell 3-1 at Mayo Field. Honkers pitchers combined to throw a total of five wild pitches, one of which allowed Mankato to score the tying run.
The game started out well for the Honkers, who won two games in a row leading into the All-Star Break. Aaron Senne hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning to give Rochester a 1-0 lead, and starter Reyes Dorado threw four innings of hitless ball. However, in the fifth, Dorado hit the first batter, Ben Geelan, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch and then scored in the same fashion, tying the game at 1-1.
Mankato got the go-ahead and eventual winning run in the sixth off reliever Sean Finn. With two outs in the inning, Finn issued a walk to Jason Christian, who advanced to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a single by Adam Abraham. The MoonDogs picked up an insurance run in the ninth courtesy of an RBI single by Jaime Armendariz. Abraham then came in to get the two-inning save (1) as he struck out five Honkers.
Brendan Lafferty (2-1) earned the win going seven innings and allowing one run on six hits. Dorado (1-0) did not have a decision on the night, as he went five innings and gave up no hits and one run. On the negative side, he walked five batters and issued two wild pitches. Finn (1-4) took the loss after walking four, striking out five, throwing three wild pitches and giving up two earned runs in 3.1 innings.
Raynor Campbell went 2-3 in the game and Senne was 1-4 with an RBI for the Honkers in the losing cause. Abraham went 1-3 with an RBI in addition to earning the save and Armendariz was 1-3 with an RBI in Mankato’s first win of the second half. The MoonDogs made the most of their opportunities on Friday night, stranding no runners in comparison to eight left on for the Honkers.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow as the Honkers seek to even the season series with the MoonDogs, which they currently trail 1-2. The game is to be played at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m.
July 11, 2007
North comes away with 3-2 victory in All-Star Game
(Mankato, MN)- Nate Hanson (Mankato) broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run double to propel the North over the South, 3-2 in the 2007 Northwoods League (NWL) All-Star Game.
The game, which was played at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, featured four members of the Rochester Honkers. Drew Hoisington went 1-2 with a double and a stolen base. He was thrown out at home on a very close play in the bottom of the first inning that would have given the North a 1-0 lead. Shaver Hansen started the game at shortstop but did not record a hit. On the mound, both Greg Martin and Craig Fritsch had a strikeout as Martin threw one inning and Fritsch threw 0.2 innings.
The North got on the board first when they plated a run in the second inning. The South picked up a run to tie the game in the third, and the score remained 1-1 until Hanson’s hit in the seventh. The South was able to get one run in the top of the ninth until Ryan Wrobel (St. Cloud) shut the door to earn the save. Kris Ruepke (Thunder Bay) was credited with the win while Wes Simmons (Eau Claire) was hit with the loss.
A fifth member of the Honkers, David Flores, participated in the home run derby that took place prior to the game. He finished second to Xavier Scruggs (Brainerd), who hit a total of 11 home runs in two rounds. Flores hit four home runs in the first round to advance to the finals, where he hit five.
Hits were hard to come by in the game, as the North out-hit the South 5-4. Evan Bigley (La Crosse) of the South All-Stars was the only player in the game to have multiple hits, going 2-4 with a home run.
Mankato set an attendance record of 2,319 in its first time hosting the NWL All-Star Game. The Honkers (20-18, 2-2) will return to action on Friday, July 13, when they host the Mankato MoonDogs (17-21, 0-4) at 7:05 p.m.
July 9, 2007
Win one for the skipper
(Rochester, MN)- Sam Testa made a handful of great defensive plays in right field, including two potentially game-saving grabs as the Rochester Honkers (20-18, 2-2) defeated the Brainerd Blue Thunder (12-26, 1-3) 4-2 on Monday afternoon.
The game was the last for Field Manager Greg Labbe this season, as he will return home to Florida for the birth of his first-born child. The win gives Labbe 114 in his career, which is second all-time among Honkers managers. He is also second in all-time winning percentage, at .659.
Aaron Senne hit a solo home run in the first inning and drove in two runs on the day to lead the Honkers at the plate. Shaver Hansen added another solo homer in the sixth to help the Honkers take a 4-1 lead going into the top of the ninth inning.
In the top of the ninth, reliever Tim Radmacher gave up a walk and two hits to load the bases before leaving the game in favor of Mike Morrison. The first batter Morrison faced, Clay Cuno, took a pitch from Morrison deep to the right-center field gap that looked as though it would be an extra-base hit. However, Testa, playing in only his third game, made a great running catch to hold the Blue Thunder to only run on the play as Andy Dirks tagged from third. Raynor Campbell then robbed Andy Symons of hit when he climbed the latter to make a spectacular catch at third base. Testa made another running catch to end the game as the Honkers got out of the jam and took the win.
Testa’s catches in the ninth capped off a great day in the field, as he also took a home run away from Symons in the third inning. Symons took Honkers starter Zach Robertson deep to right with a runner on, but Testa reached over the fence to bring the ball back in play for the third out of the inning.
Robertson (4-2) got the win despite walking seven batters in 5.2 innings. He only allowed two hits and one run, however, which was unearned. Morrison notched the save (1), getting the Honkers out of a jam in the ninth. Dustin Renfrow (1-5) took the loss in five innings of work, giving up three runs, two of which were earned. Drew Hoisington plated an RBI, giving him 28 on the year.
Rochester ended their season series with Brainerd at 4-4 going into the All-Star break. The Honkers will get three days off, with the 2007 All-Star Game to be played in Mankato on July 11 at 7:05 p.m. Rochester will be back at home on July 13, when they host the Mankato MoonDogs at 7:05 p.m.
July 8, 2007
Hoisington becomes a part of NWL history
(Rochester, MN)- On Sunday, Drew Hoisington became one of only five players in Northwoods League (NWL) history to hit three home runs in a game.
Hoisington hit two home runs in the third inning: a solo shot followed by a three-run homer. He followed with another solo home run in the eighth, to complete his 3-6, five-RBI performance.
The last time a player in the NWL hit three home runs in a game was on July 10, 2004, when Sergio Pedroza of Rochester took three out of the yard against La Crosse. The other Honker to accomplish the feat was Doug Barner, who did it against Dubuque on August 1, 1995. Three home runs were hit by non-Honkers in 2000 and 1998.
Hoisington will be playing in the 2007 NWL All-Star Game, which will be played at Mankato’s Franklin Rogers Park on July 11, 2007 at 7:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN360.com and will re-air later that night at 12:30 a.m. on ESPNU.
July 8, 2007
Hoisington, Norris lead Honkers slugfest
(Rochester, MN)- It took a couple of games, but the Rochester Honkers (19-18, 1-2) showed what they are capable of in a 17-6 drubbing of the Brainerd Blue Thunder (12-25, 1-2) on Sunday afternoon at Mayo Field. The win is the first for the Honkers in the second half of the Northwoods League (NWL) season.
Drew Hoisington led a Honkers lineup that teed-off on Brainerd pitching all day, as he pounded three home runs in the game, two of which came in a nine-run third inning. Derek Norris did more than his fair share as well, knocking in six runs off two homers, one of which was a grand slam in the third. As a team, the Honkers compiled 16 hits and slugged six home runs, the last of which was provided by Raynor Campbell. With the six home runs, the Honkers increased their league-leading total to 36; coming into Sunday’s NWL games, Green Bay and La Crosse were tied for second with 17.
Blue Thunder starter, Jason Banks, took the brunt of the abuse delivered by Rochester on the afternoon. He threw a total of 90 pitches in 2.2 innings of work, allowing seven hits and 11 runs, all of which were earned. Banks (2-4), who took the loss, walked five batters, including three before giving up the grand slam to Norris in the third.
Amidst all of the gaudy offensive numbers, Greg Martin (6-0) earned the win on the mound. Despite a less-than stellar performance, Martin didn’t need to worry with 17 runs of support. He went six innings, allowed seven hits, walked three and gave up four runs, three of which were earned. Mike Morrison came in to throw two innings of scoreless ball in relief of Martin.
Besides the great performances supplied by Hoisington and Norris, several other Honkers had noteworthy numbers as well. Campbell ended up going 2-5 with three RBI, Brian Spear went 2-3 with an RBI, Craig Lutes went 3-5 with three doubles, and David Flores added a pair of RBI. Xavier Scruggs had two RBI and Adam Symons had a home run in the losing effort.
Rochester and Brainerd will close out their season series on Monday at 1:05 p.m. The Honkers will look to even their record in both the second half and in the season series with the Blue Thunder, who currently lead the Honkers by a game, 4-3.
July 7, 2007
Huskies sweep Honkers
(Rochester, MN)- Chris Dove had two RBI on the night and drove home the winning run as part of a three-run sixth inning that gave the Duluth Huskies (2-0) a 4-3 victory over the Rochester Honkers (0-2) at Mayo Field on Saturday night.
After the Honkers took two games from the Huskies on July 4 and 5 in Duluth to prevent them from winning the first half of the Northwoods League (NWL) North Division, the Huskies seemed to have a score to settle. Duluth came to Rochester and swept the first two games of the second half, as they close the season series with a 6-2 advantage over the Honkers.
The Honkers fell behind in the game 1-0 in the second inning when Chris House scored an unearned run off Dove’s first RBI of the game. Rochester tied the game when Aaron Senne scored Craig Lutes on an RBI single in the third, and took a 3-1 lead when David Flores blasted a two-run homer off Huskies starter Kyle Blair in the fourth.
The score would remain 3-1 in favor of the Honkers until the sixth, when the Duluth bats started making some noise. Honkers starter Ryan Hill allowed four hits and three runs in the inning, as the Huskies erased a two-run deficit to take the lead.
Hill (1-2) held Duluth in check for five innings, but the sixth inning proved to be a dagger, as he took the loss on the mound. He went six innings and gave up six hits and four runs, three of which were earned. Blair (1-0) would end up with the win, going six innings while striking out nine and allowing three hits. Adain Kummet gave Rochester three of their 13 strikeouts in 1.1 innings to set up Brant Combs for the one pitch save (1), as he induced Joe Southers to ground into a double play to end the game.
Dove went 2-4 in the game, as did House, who had an RBI. Flores went 1-2 on the night with two RBI and Brett Featherston was 1-3 with a run scored. The Honkers will try to get their first win of the second half when they welcome the Brainerd Blue Thunder to Mayo Field Sunday afternoon at 3:05 p.m.
July 7, 2007
Honkers add outfielder
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club has announced today the signing of Sam Testa, a 5’11”, 195-pound outfielder from Lake City Community College (FL). The sophomore will add much needed depth to an outfield that has suffered two recent losses in Jareck West and Chris Jones (Cal State Fullerton).
Testa joins the Honkers after having a great spring season in 2007 with the Timberwolves. He led the team in batting average (.373), on-base percentage (.467), slugging percentage (.574), doubles (19), triples (4), runs scored (67) and stolen bases (18). He also had 41 RBI and five home runs at season’s end. For his efforts, Testa was awarded with second-team all-state honors, and was named first team all-conference in the Florida State League.
The Honkers outfield has thinned recently because of the departures of Jareck West and Chris Jones. West left to sign a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics on July 1, and Jones left on July 6 due to an injured wrist.
July 6, 2007
Early runs doom Honkers
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (18-17, 0-1) had their four-game winning streak snapped against the Duluth Huskies (21-14, 1-0) in the first game of the second half of the season on Friday night. Duluth scored four runs in the first, one in the second, and six in the third on their way to an easy 11-2 victory at Mayo Field.
The second half started on a sour note for the Honkers and starter Dave Sever (1-3), who was only able to go one full inning. He worked into the second inning, but was pulled after the Huskies loaded the bases in the top of the second. Sever ended up allowing six hits and five runs, four of which were earned.
Tim Radmacher (1-1) took the next crack at the hot-hitting Huskies, and didn’t fare much better than his predecessor. He lasted 1.2 innings and gave up six runs off six hits. Tim Scott (0-2) threw the next 1.1 innings, effectively keeping Duluth off the scoreboard. The Huskies ended up recording 15 hits in the game, compared to Rochester’s six. Rochester also committed four errors on the night, as Duluth was flawless in the field.
In order to save the arms of the bullpen pitchers, Field Manager Greg Labbe decided to try out three position players on the hill. Matt Gaski, David Flores, and Brett Featherston combined to throw five scoreless innings to finish the game, with each recording one strikeout.
Drew Hoisington and Brian Spear accounted for 2/3 of Rochester’s hits on the night, as both recorded two hits. Spear and Featherston each drove in the only runs for the Honkers. The visiting Huskies had several solid offensive performances, highlighted by Joey Bonadonna going 3-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Justin Ellrich added a pair of RBI and Kevin Hansen went 3-5 with one run driven in.
The Honkers had taken the last two games from the Huskies in Duluth before returning to Rochester. The two teams will face each other again tomorrow for the last time this season in a 7:05 p.m. game at Mayo Field. Ryan Hill (1-1) is set to take the mound for the Honkers against Duluth’s Kyle Blair (0-0).
July 5, 2007
Honkers end first half on high note
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers (18-16) completed the two-game sweep of the Duluth Huskies (20-14) on Thursday night, using five Huskies errors to their advantage in a 7-4 victory.
In a first half that has seen one five-game winning streak and a pair of four-game losing streaks, the Honkers ended the first half in style by winning four straight and five out of their last six.
Rochester trailed 1-0 going into the top half of the fourth inning, before Brett Featherston laced a two-RBI double into the outfield off Huskies starter Kris Weber (1-0) to give the Honkers the 2-1 lead. In the same inning, Joe Southers reached base on an error that allowed Derek Norris to score, and Matt Gaski put down a sacrifice bunt that brought Featherston home. The Honkers gave up one run in the bottom of the inning to come out of the fourth with a 4-2 lead.
Following a two-RBI single by Nick Sullivan in the sixth, the game was tied 4-4 entering the Honkers half of the seventh. Rochester would use two Huskies throwing errors in one play to score two runs, as Drew Hoisington and Raynor Campbell crossed the plate. Derek Norris was the next beneficiary of a Duluth blunder, as he came home safely on a passed ball. The score after the inning was 7-4, which is where it would stay until the final out in the ninth.
Starter Craig Fritsch (2-0) took the no decision in 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs while giving up six walks. Mike Morrison (1-1) picked up his first win of the year in 2.1 innings of relief, striking out three and allowing no hits. Tim Scott (0-2) earned his first save of the year, holding Duluth scoreless in the ninth inning. Tim Kelley (0-1) suffered a tough loss for the Huskies; he went three innings and allowed three runs, none of which were earned.
Raynor Campbell led the Honkers at the plate, going 2-5 with a double. Featherston plated the only two RBI of the night in a 1-3 performance. Jason Haniger was 1-3 with two RBI for the Huskies in the loss.
Although the venue will change, Rochester and Duluth will still be facing each other to start the second half of the season on Friday. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 7:05 p.m. at Rochester’s Mayo Field. The game is the first of a four-game home stand for the Honkers, with the two-game Duluth series to be followed by a pair against Brainerd that will lead into the All-Star break.
July 5, 2007
Five Honkers named to All-Star team
(Rochester, MN)- The Northwoods League (NWL) has announced its participants in the 2007 All-Star Game that will be played Wednesday, July 11, in Mankato, Minnesota. The North Division All-Stars will have five representatives from the Rochester Honkers. They are:
Craig Fritsch (Baylor) RHP
Greg Martin (UNC Greensboro) RHP
Drew Hoisington (Toledo) OF
Shaver Hansen (Baylor) SS
Jareck West (Delta State) OF
The two pitchers for the Honkers do not have a loss between them, as both were in the top 10 in the NWL in pitching going into Thursday night’s game against Duluth. Martin was second in the league in pitching, posting a 5-0 record with a 1.07 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Fritsch was fifth in the league, with an ERA of 1.47 while compiling a 2-0 record with 28 strikeouts.
Going into Thursday’s game, the Honkers as a team were dominating many offensive categories. They were tied for first in team batting average (.269), first in runs scored (192), first in home runs (29, 12 more than LaCrosse in second), and second in hits (304). With those gaudy numbers came some great performances.
Drew Hoisington led the way offensively for the Honkers; going into Thursday night’s game, he was first in the league in extra base hits (15), third in slugging percentage (.557), third in runs scored (23), fourth in batting average (.339), fifth in RBI (22), and fifth in hits (39). Shaver Hansen is also off to a good start after hitting .291 with a home run and five RBI in addition to playing stellar defense at shortstop.
Jareck West was also voted onto the North Division All-Star Team despite having left the team to sign a professional contract with the Oakland Athletics. At the time West left, he was hitting .270 with four home runs, 18 RBI and nine stolen bases.
July 5, 2007
Injury sends 2006 Honker of the Year home
(Rochester, MN)- His 2007 season had just begun when the injury bug struck Chris Jones (Cal St. Fullerton) for the second time in his career as a Rochester Honker. Jones suffered an injury to his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch in a game against the Waterloo Bucks on July 1, 2007. The severity of the injury is such that Jones will not be able to play another game for the Honkers this season.
“The big bone in my wrist is not broken, but I have to go home to see a hand specialist about the smaller bones and ligaments surrounding it,” Jones said. “Even if there are no breaks, I will not be able to swing a bat anywhere from three to five weeks.”
His coaches at Cal State Fullerton would like to monitor Jones’ progress throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall after his second injury wearing a Honkers jersey; his 2006 season was shortened due to a hamstring injury. Despite only appearing in 39 games last summer, Jones compiled a Northwoods League (NWL)-best eight home runs and 38 RBI, which ranked third in the NWL. He was also won the 2006 NWL Home Run Hitting Contest at the all-star game, and was voted as the 2006 Honker of the Year.
“We are going to miss his attitude, his presence in the lineup, and his presence in the locker room,” Honkers Field Manager, Greg Labbe said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to see what he could do this year.”
Jones is the fifth player to leave the Honkers during the 2007 campaign. Orlando Torres left the team on June 19 due to an injury, Ryan Mullins left because of injury on June 25, Efren Navarro, Jr. left the team the same day to sign a professional contract with the Rookie League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Jareck West left the team to sign with the Rookie League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics on July 1.
“I wish I could help these guys win the second half and make the playoffs, but it’s just one of those things that you need to swallow and move on,” Jones said. “I’m going to miss the guys, the coaches, and all the people affiliated with the team.”
July 4, 2007
Honkers take first from Huskies
(Duluth, MN)- It took five tries, but the Rochester Honkers (17-16) finally got the monkey off their backs against the Duluth Huskies (20-13), as they earned a 9-2 victory at Duluth on Wednesday night.
In their first meeting of the season against Duluth, Rochester fell 8-1. Every game between the two teams since then has been close, as the Honkers have fallen 3-1, 2-1, and 3-2. The Honkers bucked that trend in a big way on Wednesday, getting key performances from newcomer Reyes Dorado (Riverside CC), Drew Hoisington, and Brett Featherston.
Dorado (1-0), who joined the team only a day ago, took the win on the mound. He went five innings while striking out four and surrendering only two hits and one unearned run. With the sticks, Drew Hoisington went 3-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI and three runs scored. Brett Featherston also had a home run and a double, as he went 3-5 with two RBI.
Andy Marks (2-3) took the loss on the mound, the first he has suffered against the Honkers in three starts. He got roughed up by the Rochester lineup, surrendering 10 hits and seven runs in 5.1 innings. Marks’ college teammate at Kansas, Joe Southers, joined in on the fun, as he went 2-3 against the left-hander.
The win is Rochester’s third in a row, as they will try to make it four when they take on the Huskies on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The loss prevents Duluth from gaining any ground on St. Cloud, who they were trailing by a half game in the Northwoods League (NWL) North Division race heading into Wednesday night’s contest. Thursday night will mark the end of the first half in the NWL.
July 3, 2007
Dorado adds another arm to Honkers staff
(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club have announced the signing today of pitcher Reyes Dorado, a 6’1”, 180-pound sophomore out of Riverside Community College (CA).
Dorado joins his pitching coach, Dave Martinez, in Rochester for the summer after the two were together this fall at Riverside. The right-handed throwing Dorado sports an overpowering fastball that will be welcomed by the Honkers pitching staff.
Pitching for Riverside, Dorado started in 11 of the 14 games he appeared in, en-route to compiling a 4-2 record in addition to two saves. On the year he had a 4.01 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 67.1 innings of work.
In the 2007 MLB First Year Player Draft, Dorado was chosen with the 1,349th pick in the 46th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 3, 2007
Rochester reels, but beats Beetles
(Alexandria, MN)- Despite a furious comeback attempt from the Alexandria Beetles (17-16), the Rochester Honkers (16-16) were able to get out of two jams late in the game to come away with an 8-7 victory at Alexandria on Tuesday night.
Leading 8-4 in the bottom of the eighth, Tim Radmacher was able to get out of a bases loaded, one-out jam after a strikeout and a fly out. Radmacher was not so fortunate in the ninth, as the Beetles loaded the bases before he could record an out. With that, Radmacher exited the game in favor of Reed Woytek. Woytek gave up an RBI base hit to Doug Pickens, hit one batter and walked the next with only one out in the inning, pulling the Beetles to within one run. Woytek then induced a fly out to left field and got Logan Hoch to ground out at first base to end the game.
The Honkers led by as many as five runs in the game, as they built a 7-2 advantage going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Aaron Senne hit his second home run in as many days on a two-run home run in the first inning and Derek Norris did the same in the third, as the Honkers took 4-0 lead. Rochester surrendered a run in both the third and fourth, but picked up two more in the fifth courtesy of a Norris RBI double and an RBI single from Brett Featherston. Back to back doubles from Matt Gaski and Craig Lutes gave the Honkers another run in the top half of the sixth inning.
Zach Robertson (3-2) got the win on the mound, going six innings and allowing four runs off of four hits while striking out five. Robertson surrendered solo home runs to Pickens in the fourth and Tim Dellwo in the sixth. Andrew Robinson (2-2) took the loss for the Beetles, as he went five innings and gave up six runs. Woytek (2) earned the save, as he got the Honkers out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth.
The Honkers were led at the plate by Norris, who went 2-4 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. Lutes was 2-3 with a double and two RBI. He brought home the eighth run for the Honkers off a single in the eighth, which proved to be the difference between a victory and possible extra innings. Pickens went 3-4 with a home run and two RBI for the Beetles in the losing effort.
Rochester will look to finish the first half of the season above the .500 mark as they travel to Duluth to take on the Huskies for a two-game set. The first game between the two teams is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday.
July 2, 2007
Honkers continue dominance against Beetles