ROCORI Drops Close Contest To Champlin Park

CHAMPLIN PARK — After playing in Cold Spring the night prior, the ROCORI Spartans hit the road on May 5 for a nonconference showdown against Champlin Park at Champlin Park High School.

In a pitchers' duel, ROCORI fell to Champlin Park following a late-game run, dropping the contest 2-1 to see the Spartans' six-game winning streak come to an end.

Champlin Park kicked off the scoring in the game, plating one run in the bottom half of the first inning to take an early 1-0 advantage. ROCORI answered back in the fourth inning with a run to even the game up entering the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Champlin Park brought home the go-ahead run that ended up being the difference-maker in the nonconference showdown.

At the plate, ROCORI was led by Brady Schafer who finished 1-for-2 with one RBI. Beck Loesch and Thad Lieser added one hit each and Jack Spanier scored the lone run of the game for the Spartans.

On the mound, Loesch threw a complete game in a losing effort, giving up just five hits, no earned runs and three walks while striking out six over six innings.

With the loss, ROCORI drops to 6-2 overall on the season and remains 5-1 in Central Lakes Conference play. The Spartans play their third game is as many days when they face Mahtomedi at 11 a.m. on May 6 at Mahtomedi High School.