Honkers Come Back To Top Kalamazoo

Rochester, MN (Rochesterhonkers.com) —The Rochester Honkers defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers 8-3 Tuesday night at Mayo Field. Greg Jakusik (Stevens Institute) got the win for the Honkers, moving him to 2-2 on the season.  Rochester kept themselves in contention in the North Division first half race and now sit at 16-11. 

Matt Fiedler (Minnesota) led the Honkers while going 2-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Both teams had scoring opportunities that they failed to capitalize on, as both Rochester and Kalamazoo finished the game with nine runners left on base.  In the fifth inning, when the Honkers took their first lead, the bases were loaded with no outs, but the Honkers managed just one run before being retired, and that run came on a walk.

Kalamazoo struck first, with three runs off Jakusik in the second inning, ensuring that the Honkers would play form behind as they often have recently.

Rochester began their comeback in the fourth inning, when Alex Schultz (Nebraska-Omaha) stole home. A RBI single by Slade Heggen (Oregon) brought Fiedler home, cutting the Growlers to a 3-2 lead.

The Honkers took the lead in the fifth on a pair of runs walked in, the first coming when Fielder was hit by a pitch square in the chest, the second when Joe DeRoche-Duffin (UCONN) drew a walk.

With a 4-3 lead, the Honkers added to the gap as Adam Walton (Illinois) scored in his first game as a Honker came home on a RBI double from Connor Schaefbauer (Minnesota).

Fiedler picked up his second RBI and Heggen got two more batted-in in the eighth to give the Honkers a comfortable cushion and secure their 8-3 victory.

The Honkers next home game will be tonight, June 24^th, against the Kalamazoo Growlers. It will be “Team-up Kickoff Night presented by Meshbesher and Spence, as well as Mayo Clinic Transplant Center Tonight and Mayo Endocrinology Night. The game begins at 7:05 and gates open at 6.