The St. Cloud Rox are within one game of the Mankato MoonDogs for first place in the Overall North Standings after splitting a doubleheader from a walk-off home run. The Eau Claire Express bounced back and defeated the Duluth Huskies to come within one of the MoonDogs in the second half standings. Everyone else had the day off.
Mankato 2, St. Cloud 1 (Game 1)
The Mankato MoonDogs scored once in the opening and once in the final inning and defeated the St. Cloud Rox 2-1. Both teams traded runs in the opening inning as Kyle Cuellar (UCLA) singled in one for Mankato and the Rox got an RBI ground out. The MoonDogs got 4.2 from their starter Dylan Jones (Southwestern Illinois) and Nick Morreale (Georgetown) threw six for St. Cloud. Austin Bollinger (Nicholls State) then threw 3.2 out of the bullpen for Mankato and Anthony DiMeglio (Fordham) threw the next two for the Rox. Mankato then got a sac flyout from Logan Busch (NDSU) to score the go ahead as Naithen Dewsnap (Cal State Bakersfield) threw the ninth to end the game.
Eau Claire 9, Duluth 7 (10 Innings)
The Eau Claire Express needed 10 innings to defeat the Duluth Huskies 9-7. Both teams traded runs in the third as Zach Ashford (Fresno State) doubled in a run for Eau Claire and Kyle Hubbuch (North Alabama) singled one in for Duluth. The Express got ahead in the fourth from a sac flyout, but the Huskies tied it in the fifth from a single. Duluth took the lead with a big four-run sixth inning which started from a bases loaded walk and extended with a two-run single by Rob Emery (San Francisco) and another RBI single. Eau Claire chipped away with an RBI single in the seventh and then tied it in the eighth including Ashford singling in two. Then Express took the lead with three runs in the tenth including a balk, RBI ground out and RBI single by Ashford. Rudy Karre (Kansas) homered to keep Duluth alive in the bottom of the tenth, but the next guy grounded out to end the game.
Mankato 2, St. Cloud 3 (Game 2)
The St. Cloud Rox walked it off in the bottom of the ninth and game two tonight and defeated the Mankato MoonDogs 3-2. The Rox got on the board in the fourth when Brendan Illies (UNC) singled in a run. Ethan Valdez (Nicholls State) then gave the MoonDogs the lead in the sixth from a two-run single. Brett Newberg (Austin Peay) got the start tonight for Mankato and threw eight runs and only gave up one run on eight hits, one walk while striking out two. The Rox got 2.2 scoreless from Bobby Gauvreau (Minnesota) out of the bullpen for St. Cloud. Then with one out and one on in the bottom of the ninth, Cameron Eden (California) won the game for St. Cloud with a home run.
Schedule for August 3:
Kalamazoo @ Madison (5:05 PM) (Game 1)
Green Bay @ Wisconsin (6:35 PM)
Fond du Lac @ Rockford (6:35 PM)
Kenosha @ Lakeshore (6:35 PM)
Willmar @ Waterloo (6:35 PM)
Rochester @ Bismarck (7:05 PM)
Thunder Bay @ La Crosse (7:05 PM)
Mankato @ St. Cloud (7:05 PM)
Wisconsin Rapids @ Battle Creek (7:05 PM)
Kalamazoo @ Madison (7:05 PM) (Game 2)