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May 9 , 2008
Honkers' Burg Leads Saints

(Rochester, MN) St. Scholastica’s Peter Burg, who will pitch for the Rochester Honkers this summer, reached the 10-win plateau Thursday, May 8th, versus Northland College in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament.

Burg threw six innings, giving up just one on four hits, in the Saints’ 14-1 rout of the Lumberjacks. He struck out eight in the contest, and worked his record to 10-0 in 11 starts this season. He has thrown five complete games this year, and has lowered his ERA to 2.35. He has also recorded 59 strikeouts in 65 innings.

Behind Burg’s efforts, the Saints finished the regular season 29-4, and claimed the regular season UMAC title with a 17-1 record in conference play. They will play in the tournament’s semi-finals Friday night.

The Rochester Honkers 15th season begins on May 29th, 2008 when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05pm first pitch. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now on sale. Call the Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.

May 5 , 2008
Honkers Sign Hurricane

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Justin Hilt, a 6’0” 195 pound sophomore outfielder from Louisburg College in Louisburg, NC. Hilt has signed to play next season for Elon University in Elon, NC.

Hilt finished the 2008 regular season as the Hurricanes’ top hitter, batting .406 with a team high 11 homers and 42 RBIs. He was also among the leaders in Division I junior college baseball in base stealing, swiping 27 bases in 30 attempts.

Recruited as a pitcher by NCAA Division I Marshall University, Hilt chose the position player route at Louisburg following his high school career. He was an all-state pitching selection in New Jersey while at Deptford High School in Woodbury, NJ. He was also a runner-up for the Colonial Conference Player-of-the-Year award as a junior.

May 3 , 2008
Former Honker All-Star Hits First Pro Homer

(Rochester, MN) The only Rochester Honker ever to have his number retired has broken through with his first home run as a professional.

Rochester native Dan Lyons, playing for the Hagerstown Suns of Hagerstown, Maryland (“A” affiliate of the Washington Nationals), launched a solo homer in the top of the first inning to give the Suns an early 1-0 lead over the Greensboro Grasshoppers of Greensboro, NC on Thursday, April 24th. The Suns won the game 8-7.

Lyons had a prolific, three-year career for the Rochester Honkers from 2004-2006. He hit .268 for his career, with eight homers and 72 RBIs. He also stole 56 bases in three seasons, including 32 in 2004, eight shy of the franchise record. He was selected for the Northwoods League All-Star game in 2005 and 2006. He also received the “Honker of the Year award in 2005, along with the Rochester Mayor’s Award, given the “Keys to the City” when his number “10” was retired after the Honkers 2006 NWL championship season.

Following his Honker career, he returned to the University of Minnesota for the 2007 season. After hitting .315 with nine homers and 50 RBIs as a senior for the Gophers, he was drafted by the Nationals in the 14th round (430th pick) of the 2007 June amateur draft. He spent his first year with the Vermont Sea Monsters, the Nationals short-season “A” affiliate in Winooski, VT. He began this season with Hagerstown, the Nationals low “A” affiliate.

April 28 , 2008
Gump's Grand Slam Powers Gauchos

(Rochester, MN) 2008 Rochester Honker Brian Gump played the hero role for the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB) Sunday, blasting a ninth inning grand slam to push the Gauchos past Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo 5-3.

After the Gauchos were unable to score through eight innings, a last inning rally brought in a run and loaded the bases, bringing Gump to the plate with two out. He drove the first pitch out of the park to straight-away center, putting UCSB up by the eventual winning score. It was Gump’s fourth homer of the season, and it delivered Gaucho head coach Bob Brontsema his 400th career win.

Gump, a junior, leads UCSB in hitting with a .372 average. He also leads the Gauchos in at-bats, hits, runs, and doubles, hitting his thirteenth of the season in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game before his grand slam heroics in the ninth.

April 25 , 2008
Honkers Add Coach to Staff

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the addition of Mike Gilner, associate head coach at Washburn University, to the Honkers’ coaching staff this summer. He will assist Honkers’ field manger, Jason Plourde.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to come be a part of a great organization such as the Honkers,” said Gilner. I’ve heard that it is a class act from top to bottom, and I’m looking forward to spending time in the city and with the great fans of Rochester.”

Gilner, 27, is in his third year with Washburn, spending his first two years as the pitching coach before being promoted to the associate head coach position for this season. Washburn is an NCAA Division II university located in Topeka, KS. They are a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).

Last summer, Gilner was a coach for the Florence Red Wolves, a summer collegiate program in the Coastal Plains League (CPL). Under Gilner, The Red Wolves finished 27-27 and made an appearance in the Petitt Cup Tournament, the championship tournament of the CPL. Gilner has also coached basketball and baseball at Tonganoxie High School in Tonganoxie, KS, his hometown. His American Legion baseball team amassed a 50-15 record over two summers.

Gilner played collegiately as a catcher. He began his career at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, KS. After two years at Coffeyville, he signed with the University of Kansas where injuries forced the end of his collegiate playing career.

April 21 , 2008
Honkers Sign Titan Infielder

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Eric Stephens, a 6’2” 215 pound junior infielder from California State University-Fullerton. The Titans are currently ranked #15 in the nation.

Before joining the Titans, Stephens played his first two years of college baseball at East L.A. Junior College. He was a two-time All-South Coast Conference selection, once as a first baseman and once as an outfielder. He hit .342 with 8 home runs and 42 RBIs his freshman year, and then .341 with 6 home runs and 49 RBIs his sophomore season.

As a senior at Monrovia High School in Monrovia, CA, Stephens hit .443 with 2 homers and 12 doubles. He was a first team All-Rio Hondo League selection as well as a first team All-State selection.

April 18 , 2008
Honkers Sign Gaucho Pitcher

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Jesse Meaux, a 6’4”, 210 pound freshman right-handed pitcher from the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Meaux is currently 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA. He earned his first win April 15th, throwing four innings of scoreless baseball in a 25-3 Gaucho win over Westmont University. Meaux had previously thrown 3.1 shutout innings in an earlier appearance versus Westmont University and against California Polytechnic.

As a starter for Glendale High School in Glendale, CA, Meaux finished his senior year with a 2.14 ERA and 52 strikeouts versus 14 walks. He also hit .451 for the Nitros, and was a three time All-Pacific League selection. He played summer baseball last year for the Playa Vista Orioles in the Southern California Connie Mack League.

April 14 , 2008
Incoming Honkers Impressive in Spring Seasons

(Rochester, MN)--Two incoming Rochester Honkers had big weekends for their college clubs this past weekend, and a third continues to produce terrific numbers.

Virginia Tech’s Austin Wates used the weekend to add to an already fantastic year. The Hokies’ center fielder had three hits and three RBIs in a 13-4 Tech win over Wake Forest on Saturday. Wates legged out his team-leading fourth triple, and pushed his batting average to .345, another team high.

Saturday was a career day for another Hokie and future Honker. Infielder Tony Balisteri hit his first collegiate home run, with a two-run shot in the third inning Saturday versus Wake Forest. The homer was one of Balisteri’s three hits in the game, along with two runs and two RBIs.

Former Rochester Mayo star Aaron Senne continues to produce for 8th ranked Missouri. Senne had a pair of hits both Saturday and Sunday to lead the Tigers in routs of #12 Texas. He hit his tenth double and seventh homer Saturday in a 31-12 win, and collected a pair of singles Sunday in a 13-2 victory. Senne is hitting .351 with seven homers and 40 RBIs.

April 11 , 2008
Honkers Sign Saints Pitcher

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Peter Burg, a 6’0”, 235 pound junior left-handed pitcher from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN.

As of March 24th, Burg was 5-0 in 5 starts, with a 3.55 ERA. He had struck out 28 batters and walked just nine in 33 innings of work. Burg has thrown three complete games this season, including a four-hit shutout in a 4-0 win over Lebanon Valley in Fort Pierce, FL, on March 7th. St. Scholastica has had all games scheduled since March 24th postponed due to weather.

Burg is a native of St. Joseph, MN, and attended St. Cloud Cathedral High School. The Crusaders won the state “AA” championship his sophomore year. He finished his junior year 6-1 with a 1.31 ERA, and was a Minnesota Class “AA” All-State selection as a senior.

April 10 , 2008
Former Rochester Honker Named Future MLB Star

(Rochester, MN) Former Rochester Honker and current Los Angeles Dodger Andre Ethier has recently been named as a “Future MLB Star” by Sports Illustrated magazine. The feature ran as a photo gallery on the magazine’s website (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com).

Sports Illustrated wrote of Ethier, “After fellow outfielder Matt Kemp suffered an injury at the start of last season, Ethier filled in admirably, batting .284, belting 13 home runs while driving in 64 runs. He beat out veteran Juan Pierre for the starting job in left field this spring.” Pierre is also a Northwoods League alumnus, playing for Manitowoc in 1996.

Ethier played for the Rochester Honkers during the 2002 season. He hit .264 with four homers and 34 RBIs. He stole 11 bases that season, and had the second best strikeout-walk ratio of any hitter to finish in the top 50 in hitting in the Northwoods League.

Ethier’s status as a Sports Illustrated Future MLB Star includes him on a list that also features outfielder Delmon Young of the Minnesota Twins and pitcher Phil Hughes of the New York Yankees.

April 8 , 2008
Honkers Sign Hokie Infielder

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Anthony Balisteri, a 5’11”, 171 pound freshman infielder from Virginia Tech. He joins teammate Austin Wates on the Honkers’ 2008 roster.

Balisteri is currently batting .197 with a double, a triple, and 12 RBIs. He has been used as both a starter and bench player, playing in 25 games and starting 17. He has stolen bases successfully in both of his attempts this year.

In his senior season at Rockbridge County High School in Lexington, VA, Balisteri batted .482 with five homers and 22 stolen bases, and earned all-district honors. He batted .442 his junior year, leading his team to the Virginia state quarterfinals.

Virginia Tech Head Coach Pete Hughes says, “Balisteri is probably one of the top defenders I’ve ever recruited.”

April 4 , 2008
Honkers Sign Baylor Reliever

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Mace Thurman, a 6’2” 185 pound junior left-handed reliever from Baylor University. He is currently 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 appearances this season.

Thurman has struck out 18 batters in 19.1 innings of work, and has held opposing hitters to a .225 batting average. He earned his second win March 26 versus Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, working 4.1 innings of shutout baseball in an 11-8 win for the Bears.

Before moving to Baylor, Thurman struck out 130 batters in two seasons at McLennan Community College in Waco, TX. He was a two-time all-Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference (NTJCAC) selection. He was also a draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays.

March 31 , 2008
Honkers Sign Second Jaguar

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Jake Overstreet, a 6’1”, 185 pound freshman infielder from the University of South Alabama. He joins teammate Greg Johnson on the Honkers 2008 roster.

Overstreet is currently hitting .304 with a homerun and seven RBIs. Eleven of his 21 hits this season have been for extra bases, with eight doubles, a triple, and the lone homer. In a matchup with Arkansas State Sunday (3/30/08), he homered and drove in a run with a bunt single, leading the Jaguars to an 8-7 win.

Overstreet, a native of Thomasville, AL, was a four-time letter-winner as a third baseman and shortstop with the Thomasville High School Tigers. He was a three-time all-region and all-state selection.

March 28 , 2008
Honkers Sign Jaguar Closer

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Greg Johnson, a 6’2”, 220 pound junior right handed pitcher from the University of South Alabama.

Currently the Jaguar’s closer has collected five saves in 11 appearances. Overall he is 1-0 with a 4.03 ERA in 15.1 innings of work. Johnson picked up his lone win on March 14th, working three innings of relief in a 8-7 win over Samford University that lasted 10 innings.

Before joining the Jaguars, Johnson played for Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS. His 14 saves his sophomore year was best in the nation, and he set the school’s single season saves record, with 14, and career saves record, with 17. He was also the top hitter at the NJCAA World Series in 2006.

March 26 , 2008
Honkers Senne, Wates Perform Big

(Rochester, MN) A pair of 2008 Rochester Honkers turned in big performances with their college clubs in recent outings.

Rochester native Aaron Senne returned to his home state last night to lead his Missouri Tigers to a 17-8 win in the Metrodome against the University of Minnesota. His two-run homer in his opening at-bat turned into a four hit, eight RBI night, both career highs, that included two homers.

Senne’s eight RBI’s matched the Tiger team record set by Marcus Adler in 1986. Ironically, his eighth of the game was produced when Senne was hit by a pitch in his second plate appearance of the 6th inning.

Senne is hitting .352 this season, and leads the Tigers in home runs (6) and RBIs (32). The Tigers have won 12 games in a row, and are 19-2 overall, the best start in school history. Missouri is currently ranked #2 in the nation.

Virginia Tech’s Austin Wates scored a team high four times in an 18-11 win over James Madison University Tuesday. Wates’ afternoon included three hits and a pair of RBIs to go with his four runs.

Wates is currently hitting .360 with five doubles and 10 RBI. He leads the team in hits (31), runs (22), and is 9-12 in stolen bases, team highs for both steals and attempts.

March 25 , 2008
Honkers Sign Illini Pitcher

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Kevin Manson, a 6’7”, 220 pound sophomore pitcher from the University of Illinois. Manson is currently 2-0 with a 3.79 ERA in four appearances with the Fighting Illini.

Manson picked up a win in his last outing, throwing 6.1 innings in an 11-9 win over Kansas. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, striking out five, and threw 103 pitches. He earned a win in relief in the season opener against Sam Houston State University, working 3.2 innings of shutout baseball in a 6-4 win.

Manson is a native of Park Ridge, IL., graduating from Maine South High School. He finished his senior season 5-2 with two saves and a 1.26 ERA. He was his team’s Pitcher of the Year and an all-Central Suburban League pitcher in 2006.

March 21 , 2008
Robertson returns to Honkers

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Zach Robertson, a 6’0”, 200 pound sophomore pitcher from Iowa Central Community College (ICCC), and the player chosen Most Inspirational Player of the Year by the Honkers a year ago, will return to the Honkers rotation this summer.

Currently, Robertson is 1-1, with 10 strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. He was the opening day starter for the Tritons, throwing five shutout innings, striking out nine, and earned the win in a 6-0 victory versus Lincoln Trails Community College on March 2nd.

Robertson made 11 starts for the Honkers last year, finishing 6-4 with a 2.77 ERA. He led the team in strikeouts, recording 74 in 68.1 innings worked. Three of his four losses came in games where the opposition scored just three runs.

As a freshman at ICCC, he struck out 67 batters in 57.2 innings, finishing the season with a record of 5-3 with a 3.75 ERA. Following his summer with the Honkers, the lefthander will play for the University of Iowa.

March 18 , 2008
Honkers Sign Gump

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Brian Gump, a 6’1” 195 pound junior outfielder from the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Gump is currently batting .384, with five doubles and a triple and nine RBI. He’s also perfect in the stolen base department, swiping 12 in 12 attempts this season. In four games against Southern Utah University this past weekend, he hit .467 (7-15), and stole three bases.

Gump is a native of Westminster, California, playing his prep ball with the Westminster High Lions. He was a two-time All-Golden West league first team selection, a two time Westminster High Defensive Player-of-the-Year, and was the team’s Most Valuable Player his senior season.

Gump also has past experience with collegiate summer baseball, spending the 2006 season with the Monterey Bay Sox of the California Collegiate League.

March 14 , 2008
Honkers Sign Elon Catcher

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Dallas Tarleton, a 5’10”, 195 pound junior from Elon University. Tarleton becomes the third catcher to be signed for the 2008 season.

Tarleton will provide the Honkers a valuable left-handed bat. He is currently batting .276 with two doubles and four RBI for the Phoenix. He has started 10 of their 16 games this season, and has thrown out nine of 17 base-stealers.

Tarleton is in his first year at Elon after spending two years at Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina. Last year, he hit .347 with five homers and 36 RBI and was named to the First Team All-South Atlantic Conference and ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region Second Team.

Tarleton is originally from Indian Trails, North Carolina. At Piedmont High School, he was a Two-time 3A All-South Conference and all-state selection, as well as the conference defensive player of the year.

March 11 , 2008
Honkers Sign Dayton Infielder

(Rochester, MN) The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Cole Tyrell, a 6’, 185 pound sophomore infielder from the University of Dayton.

Tyrell, the Flyers everyday starting second baseman, demonstrated yesterday that he will be a tough out for Northwoods League pitchers this summer. In a 12-4 win over Austin Peay, Tyrell went 1-2 with a double and drew 4 walks.

As a freshman, Tyrell started 46 games at second base. He hit .216 with 10 doubles, 28 RBI and was second on the team with eight stolen bases.

Tyrell graduated from Minooka High School in Minooka, IL. As a senior he was selected the Suburban Prairie South Conference Most Valuable Player. He was a second team Prep Baseball Report All-State pick, and was named to the Joliet Herald News Second Team in baseball and football.

March 7 , 2008
2007 All-Star Hurler Returns to Honkers

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Greg Martin, the 2007 Honkers Pitcher of the Year, and a Northwoods League All Star, will return for his second season with the Honkers. Martin is a 6’2”, 190 pound junior pitcher from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

The Honkers hope Martin carries the roll he’s currently on with him from Greensboro to Rochester. In his last start versus the University of Connecticut on March 2nd, he threw six innings of shutout, five hit baseball to lead the Spartans to a 1-0 win. Martin has surrendered only one earned run this season, and has struck out eight batters in 10.1 innings of work, without allowing a single base-on-balls.

He returns to Rochester as last year’s Honker Pitcher of the Year. He was selected to both the mid-season and post-season Northwoods League All-Star teams. He led the Honkers’ pitching staff in wins in 2007, finishing 8-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts.

Field Manager Jason Plourde expects Martin to be the foundation of the 2008 pitching rotation. “Martin will be the anchor of our staff,” said Plourde. “He was an all-star last year, and he has carried that success over to this spring. I will look to him to take on a leadership role for the pitching staff.”

March 4 , 2008
Hokie Becomes Honker

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Austin Wates, a 6’1” 174 pound freshman outfielder from the Virginia Tech Hokies. Wates is currently hitting .400 with two doubles, six RBI and is 7-9 in stolen bases. He has started seven of the nine games played so far.

In the final game of the Hawthorne Suites Invitational versus Binghamton Sunday afternoon, Wates was one of the offensive stars for the Hokies. His 3-for-5 afternoon included a double, a run batted in, two runs scored and two stolen bases leading Tech to a 12-1 victory. It was Wates’ fourth multi-hit game in eight games this season. Virginia Tech hosted the event over the weekend, where they finished a perfect 4-0.

Wates graduated from St. Christopher's School (Richmond, VA) in 2007, where he earned all-prep, all-state and all-metro honors in both baseball and soccer, while being named to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association First Team in baseball. He also played on the Virginia Prep League basketball championship team. Prior to moving to Richmond, Wates played two seasons in all three sports at Garfield High School in Seattle, WA. His soccer teams in 2005 and 2006 won state titles, and he once earned regional All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Virginia Tech Head Coach Pete Hughes commented on Wates calling him, “The most athletic kid I've ever recruited.”

The Rochester Honkers 15th season begins on May 29th, 2008 when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05pm first pitch. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now on sale. Call the Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.

February 29, 2008
Honkers Sign Demon Deacon

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Ian Tomkins, a 6’ 3” 195 freshman catcher from Wake Forest. Currently Tomkins is hitting .714 with 1 homerun and 1 RBI. He has started 2 of the 4 games for Wake Forest.

Tomkins graduate from Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL where he earned two letters in baseball. As a senior he was ranked the No. 1 catcher and the No. 11 overall prospect in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report.

Wake Forest takes their 1-3 into this weekend’s Screentech Wiregrass Classic in Dothan, Alabama. They will participate in the round-robin tournament with Kennesaw State, Troy and Penn State. The Demon Deacons were picked to finish fourth overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division in the coach’s pre season poll. Defending Atlantic Division champion Florida State was picked to repeat as champions.

The Rochester Honkers 15th season begins on May 29th, 2008 when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05pm first pitch. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now on sale. Call the Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.

February 26, 2008
Riverside Reliever is a Honker

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Kevin Dickey, a 6’3” 185 pound right-handed reliever from the University of California at Riverside.

Dickey, a sophomore, helped the Highlanders to an opening day win (2/22/08) over the University of Washington when he pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Dickey entered the game tied at 2. He surrendered no hits and struck out 2 as the Highlanders went on to 3-2 victory.

As a freshman, Dickey made seven appearances out of the bullpen. He posted a 0-0 record with a 4.91 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched and collected 7 strikeouts. Dickey made an appearance in the NCAA Regional vs. the No. 1 seeded Arizona State.

February 19, 2008
Honkers Add Speed to Roster

(Rochester, MN)-- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Ross Speed, a 6’ 3” 200 pound freshman pitcher from Baylor University.

This past fall at Baylor’s intra squad games, the right hander made five appearances with one start. He pitched 15.0 innings while recording 16 strikeouts.

Speed graduated from Westwood High School in Austin, TX. He was named the 33rd top prospect in Texas by Perfect Game Crosschecker entering his senior season as well as being named a Rawlings Preseason All-American. He finished his senior campaign 10-4 with a 2.71 ERA and held opponents to a .202 batting average. Speed pitched 101.0 innings with 143 strikeouts and was named the Westwood Pitcher of the Year. He also played linebacker for their football team.

The Baylor Bears are ranked 15th nationally by Baseball America in preseason polls and are slated to finish second in the Big 12 Conference. Former Rochester Honker, Raynor Campbell, a sophomore infielder at Baylor, was just named preseason All-Big 12 Conference by Baseball America. Baylor opens up the 2008 season this weekend, hosting Purdue for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.

February 15, 2008
Honkers Sign Hefty Righty Spartan

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing ofSpencer Snodgrass, a 6-foot 230-pound pitcher from San Jose State. The right handed sophomore is expected to be in the weekend starting rotation for the Spartans.

Snodgrass finished his freshman season 2-2 with a 5.47 ERA. He pitched 54.1 innings, giving up 18 walks and striking out 26. He appeared in 20 games, 10 of which were starts. His first collegiate win came on the Spartans home opener against St. Mary’s when he pitched three shutout innings of relief, retiring eight in a row after allowing a leadoff infield single in the fifth inning.

Snodgrass graduated from Pitman High School in Turlock, CA where he earned three letters in baseball. He finished his senior season 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 55.2 innings of work. He also hit .422 with 24 RBIs. Snodgrass was a two-time first-team Central California Conference selection and was named to The Modesto Bee first-team all-district as a senior. He was also named The Modesto Bee All-District and league Lineman of the Year as a senior.

February 12, 2008
Redbird in the Honkers Outfield

(Rochester, MN)--The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Tyler McNeely, a 5’ 11” 190-pound sophomore from Illinois State University in Normal, IL. McNeely will play alongside Craig Lutes (Illinois) and Aaron Senne (Missouri) in the Honkers outfield this summer.

McNeely enters the Illinois State Redbird season after a very successful 2007 summer campaign playing for the Allegany Nitros of the New York Collegiate League. He finished the summer hitting .308 with a team best 44 hits and was named to the West Division All-Star Team.

As a freshman, McNeely finished the season hitting .152 with only 33 at bats and was 4-5 in stolen bases and was awarded the Coach Duffy Bass “Mr. Hustle” Award by his coaches and teammates. However his speed and hustle will definitely impact the Redbird lineup this year season.

“The more at bats he gets, the more comfortable he will become,” said Illinois State head coach, Jim Brownlee. “But his biggest strength is that he can really run, and he can really throw. He might be one of the fastest players that I have ever coached.” Brownlee added that he believes McNeely will be the opening day right fielder.

February 8, 2008
Tim Scott Returns to Pitch for the Honkers

(Rochester, MN)-- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Tim Scott, a 6’ 3” 210 pound sophomore from St. Cloud State University will return for his second season with the Honkers. The left-handed side-armer transferred to St. Cloud from the University of Nebraska after the 2007 season.

Scott appeared in 21 games for the Honkers last summer, 20 of which were relief appearances. He pitched 31.0 innings, picking up one save and striking out 13. Scott was used primarily as a short reliever and in situations requiring a left handed pitcher.

Scott graduated from Ely High School in Ely, MN in 2005 where he was an all-around athlete. He earned four letters in baseball, basketball and football. As a senior pitcher, Scott earned all-area and all-conference honors in addition to being chosen as the Area Player of the Year. He was also a two-time all-state selection and a four-time all-conference pick in basketball. He became only the 11th player in Minnesota High School history to score more than 2,000 points and grabbing over 1,000 rebounds.

February 1, 2008
Honkers Have New Voice!

(Rochester, MN)-The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Ryan Cunningham will be the new radio voice of the Rochester Honkers. Cunningham will also function as the media contact and marketer with the Honkers front office.

"I'm very excited about this opportunity to be the voice of the Honkers, and to be involved with the day-to-day operations of the team,” said Cunningham. “It's a challenge I can't wait to take on.”

Cunningham, 32, worked the past six years at KOVC Radio in Valley City, ND as the play-by-play voice of the Valley City State University Vikings. He called football, basketball, and baseball, as well as area high schools. A native of Valley City, Cunningham has averaged 125 play-by-play broadcasts per year in his home territory.

Cunningham began his career at KOVC as a part-time announcer in 1993. He worked his way into a full-time position as sports director of KDDR Radio in Oakes, ND in 1996, and had stints with various stations under the corporate umbrella of Sioux Valley Broadcasting throughout the early years of his career.

In 2000, Cunningham moved to Cleveland, Mississippi, to assume the role of broadcaster and marketing executive for Delta State University. During his tenure there, he broadcast the NCAA Division II national football championship, won by Delta State. It was this job that brought Cunningham to Rochester for the first time. In the spring of 2001, he attended the NCAA Div. II Elite 8 women's basketball tournament, played at the Mayo Civic Center. Cunningham returned to North Dakota after that season to replace his sports casting mentor, Dave O'Bannon, who died suddenly of cancer in the summer of 2001.

All Rochester Honkers regular and post season games will once again be heard on Sports Radio 1520 The Ticket and on the internet at www.rochesterhonkers.com.

January 30 , 2008
Honkers Sign Missouri Hurler

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Ryan Dawson, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Missouri. Dawson, a 6’3”, 195-pound freshman will join fellow Tiger teammate Aaron Senne to the Honkers this summer.

Dawson played last summer for the Chillicothe Mudcats of the MINK (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) League where he posted a 4-2 record with 54 strikeouts.

Dawson graduated from Warrensburg High School (Warrensburg, MO) where he finished his prep career 21-5, with a 2.12 ERA and 214 strikeouts. As a senior he went 7-2 with a 1.87 ERA and 74 strikeouts. Dawson also saw action at the plate, posting a career .428 batting average, with 16 home runs and 118 RBI's. Dawson was a four-time first team all-conference and first team all-district selection, selected all-state by the coaches in 2006, won the team’s Cy Young Award three times (2004, 2005, 2006) and was the Team MVP as a senior. Dawson graduated in the top 15 percent of his class and earned the Academic Excellence Award all four years of high school. He is majoring in nutrition and fitness at Missouri.

January 25 , 2008
Canadian Catcher Catches on in Rochester!

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today the signing of Aaron Johnson, a sophomore catcher from the University of Illinois. He’ll join second year Honker and Illini teammate, Craig Lutes this summer.

Johnson, a 6’0” 195 pound native of Sussex Corner, New Brunswick, played last summer for the Lethbridge Bulls of the Western Major Baseball League in Canada. He hit .333 with 18 RBI, eight doubles and 15 runs scored while throwing out 40% of would-be base-stealers. He spent his freshman season attending the Canadian Prairie Baseball Academy where he hit .333 with 30 RBI, seven doubles and was 9 out of 12 in stolen bases.

Johnson was drafted in the 46th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2006.

January 22 , 2008
Fighting Illini Returns to Honkers Outfield!

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Craig Lutes, a 6-foot 175 pound sophomore outfielder from the University of Illinois, will return to the Honkers outfield this summer. Lutes, the everyday starting left fielder for the Honkers last summer, will play on the opposite side of another returning Honker and Rochester native, Aaron Senne from the University of Missouri.

Lutes finished the 2007 Honkers campaign hitting .198 with 13 RBIs, eight doubles and five stolen bases. He played 51 of his 58 games starting in left field but also saw action at center field and designated hitter.

As a freshman at Illinois, Lutes played in 21 games, starting 9. He hit .289 with 12 RBIs and a .556 slugging percentage in 45 at bats. Lutes graduate from Normal High School (Normal, IL) where he earned four letters in baseball and football and three in basketball. He hit .377 with a .520 on-base percentage as a senior. Lutes played quarterback for the Normal Community Class 6A state runner-up football team as a senior and also averaged 12.9 points per game for his basketball team. He was named the 2006 Bloomington Pantagraph Male Athlete of the Year.

January 15 , 2008
Honkers Sign Osprey!

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Jonathan Turner, a 6’5” 215 pound right-handed sophomore reliever from the University of North Florida (UNF), has signed to play with the Honkers this summer. Turner plays for former Rochester Honkers field manager, Greg Labbe.

Turner finished the 2007 UNF Osprey season 4-2 with a 5.79 ERA. His 4 wins were most among all UNF relievers. He was third on the team in appearances (19) and struck out 26 in 42.0 innings of work. Turner’s best performance was against Indiana when he pitched four scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win in the longest game of UNF history, a 16 inning affair that UNF won 10-9. Turner was redshirted as a freshman in 2006.

Turner graduated from Winter Haven High School (Winter Haven, FL) in 2005 where he pitched and played first base. He earned first-team all-state honors as a senior after hitting .490 with 16 doubles and four home runs and posting a 10-2 record with a 2.25 ERA on the mound. He struck out 80 in 73.0 innings pitched.

The Rochester Honkers 15th season begins on May 29th, 2008 when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05pm first pitch. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now on sale. Call the Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.

January 11 , 2008
Honkers Sign Great Lakes Player of the Year!

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Jake Oester, the reigning 2007 Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League (GLSCL) Player of the Year, will play for the Honkers this summer. Oester, a 6’1” 196 pound junior infielder from the University of Toledo will anchor the Honkers infield seeing time at third base and shortstop.

Oester played for the Cincinnati Steam this past summer, batting .376 (44-for-117) with 24 runs scored, 12 doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs in 32 games. He helped lead his team to a 23-14 record and finished first on the Steam in batting average, slugging percentage (.590), on-base percentage (.460), runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases (69) and games started. He was selected to the GLSCL All-Star Team and then awarded the GLSCL Player of the Year honors.

As a sophomore for Toledo, Oester started 53 games at shortstop, hitting .323 with three home runs and 24 RBI. He tallied 19 multi-hit efforts and was 18th in the Mid-American Conference in batting average. The Cincinnati, OH native was tops on the squad in on-base percentage (.414), second in runs scored (38) and walks (24), tied for second in triples (2) and third in batting average, games started and hit by pitches (6). He ended the season red-hot and hit safely in 16 of the last 17 games played. Oester’s father Ron, played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds for 13 years (1978-1990).

The Rochester Honkers 15th season begins on May 29th, 2008 when the Mankato MoonDogs come to Mayo Field for a 7:05pm first pitch. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now on sale. Call the Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.

January 8 , 2008
Aaron Senne Returns to Honkers

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Rochester native Aaron Senne, a 6’2” 196 lb sophomore outfielder from the University of Missouri, will return to the Honkers lineup in 2008.

“I’m really excited to come back home this summer and play for the Rochester Honkers,” said Senne. “The dedicated Honkers fans and the atmosphere at the Honkers games have brought me back for another shot at the prestigious Northwoods League title in 2008!”

Senne finished the 2007 Honkers season leading the team and the Northwoods League in home runs with 9, in only 50 games played. He hit .230 with six doubles, 33 RBI and five stolen bases. Senne was the Honkers every day starting right fielder but also saw time at first base and as a designated hitter.

Senne completed his freshman campaign at Missouri hitting .289 with 17 doubles, seven home runs and 43 RBI. He started every Big 12 Conference game for the Tigers, hitting .288 with nine double and three home runs in conference action.

Senne graduated from Mayo High School in 2006 where he had a career batting average of .505 with 28 home runs. As a pitcher he posted a career mark of 25-7 with a 1.62 ERA and 214 strikeouts. After his senior season, Senne was named the Gatorade Minnesota High School Player of the Year, and named Mayo High School’s Mr. Golden Arm and Mr. Offense. He was then drafted in the 13th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins.

January 2 , 2008
Quentin Berner Joins Honkers' Front Office!

(Rochester, MN)- The Rochester Honkers Baseball Club announced today that Quentin Berner has joined their front office and has been named the team’s Assistant General Manager.

“I am privileged to get the opportunity to join such a credible organization,” said Berner. “The Honkers have proven to be a sustainable operation both on and off the field I am excited to be part of their front office.”

Berner, 25, joins the Honkers after spending 4 months as the General Manager of the Rochester Fire of the American Basketball Association. Prior to the Fire, Berner was an Account Executive with the Detroit Ignition of the Major Indoor Soccer League.

“We are really excited to have “Q” as part of our team,” said Honkers General Manager Dan Litzinger. “He brings professionalism and dedication beyond his years!”

Berner earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Marketing from Kansas State University (August, 2006) and was on the Dean’s List from 2004-2006. He also obtained a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Bible Sciences from Manhattan Christian College (May, 2006). He played both baseball and soccer at MCC. Berner was the soccer’s team Co-captain in 2005 and received the team’s Coach’s Award of Excellence in 2005. Berner and his wife Katie reside in Rochester, MN.