MANKATO, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs, members of the Northwoods League, are thrilled to announce the addition of Ryan Day as their Field Manager for the 2015 season.
Day is familiar with the MoonDogs organization as he served as the Pitching Coach during the 2014 campaign. He currently entering his third season as the Pitching Coach at Concordia University Irvine, a NAIA University in Irvine, California.
Coach Day will succeed the winningest manager in MoonDogs history, Mike Orchard. Orchard led the MoonDogs for six seasons that included four playoff appearances and three trips to the Summer Collegiate World Series. For the MoonDogs, hiring a manager that has a history of success as well as a background working under Coach Orchard was a high priority, “when we looked for the next MoonDogs Field Manager we wanted someone who could continue the continuity and success we had with Mike for the last six seasons” said MoonDogs Vice President Kyle Mrozek. “Ryan has excellent experience working with and learning from Orch and we look forward to him leading the MoonDogs into 2015”
The 2014 MoonDogs season was not Day’s only success on the baseball field. In 2011 he served as the Closer for the Concordia University, Irvine Eagles; who won the NAIA National Championship that season.
Coach Day is excited to take the helm of the MoonDogs “I’m looking forward to following in the footsteps of the best coach the MoonDogs have ever had and one of the best coaches in Northwoods League history” said Day. “I’m excited to follow in Coach Orchard’s footsteps and add my own twist and flavor to what he taught.”
Day expects his MoonDogs to play an exciting brand of baseball at the Frank “The 2015 MoonDogs will be an athletic group that will go out and put on a show every night. We’re going to have fun and play an exciting brand of baseball. The fans in Mankato pay their hard earned money to come out to the Frank and they deserve an exciting show”
Season tickets are on sale now in the MoonDogs ticket office located at 1221 Caledonia St. or by calling (507) 625-7047
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com.