The Mankato MoonDogs took game one of the doubleheader in Duluth by a score of 4-1 thanks to a big third inning. The MoonDogs scored four runs in the third due to an unearned run, a two-run double from Danny Miller (Minnesota Mankato) and Miller eventually scored on a wild pitch. The MoonDogs Logan Odom (USC) threw a complete game five hitter while striking out seven Huskies. The Huskies Casey Lytle (Kansas) had two hits in the loss.
Josh McKeon (Upper Iowa) lead the Rochester Honkers to a 9-0 win over the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers. McKeon threw an 8.0 inning shutout while only allowing five hits and also struck out five. The Rochester native improved his record to 4-2 on the 2010 season. He leads the Honkers in innings pitched at 57.1 and has struck out 39 batters.
Travis Whitmore improved his average to .311 with his 4-for-5 night against the Madison Mallards. Whitmore scored two and drove in two runs on Tuesday night in front of 6,284 fans. He currently has 52 hits on the season with 12 of those hits going for extra bases. The lefty has driven in 27 runs which leads the Wisconsin Woodchucks and also had 18 stolen bases on the 2010 season.
The Woodchucks used two five run innings to beat the Madison Mallards 13-4 in front of 6,284 fans. Wisconsin knocked out 19 hits and had seven players with multi-hit games. Kevin Pillar (Cal State Dominguez) had four hits from the leadoff spot and drove in two runs. Travis Whitemore (Pittsburgh) also had four hits and scored two runs. The Woodchucks Jon Mascot threw the final 4.0 innings to earn the save while only allowing one hit.
Brandon Baumgartner (North Dakota) improved his record to 5-2 with a 9-5 victory over the Rochester Honkers. Baumgartner entered the game in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and no outs and did not allow a run. The lefty threw 5.0 innings of one hit baseball while striking out two. Baumgartner appeared in 18 games for North Dakota and threw 36.1 innings while striking out 24.
Chris O’Dowd (Dartmouth) had a big night for the La Crosse Loggers as they beat the Battle Creek Bombers 15-5 in La Crosse. O’Dowd had four RBI and scored a run while getting walked twice. The 2010 All-Star also hit his fifth homerun of the season. He is currently hitting .322 with 12 extra base hits and 23 RBI. The catcher led Dartmouth with a .384 average and 12 doubles in 2010.
In game one of the double header the Mankato MoonDogs were ahead 2-1 after two innings at Wade Stadium in Duluth, but the Huskies used a two run fifth inning to take the game. The Huskies ended up winning 3-2 when Jeff Reynolds (Harvard) hit a two-run double that scored Cody Asche (Nebraska) and Mark Threlkeld (Louisiana Tech). Robbie Collier (North Florida) improved his record to 5-1 with a 5.0 inning eight hitter. Jacob Bax earned his first save of the season throwing 2.0 innings of hitless baseball. Mankato third basemen Sam Eberle (Jacksonville State) had the only RBI’s for the MoonDogs in the loss.
Jesse Arreola (California Baptist) improved to 3-3 on the season with a great pitching performance Sunday afternoon. Arreola threw 7.2 innings of five-hit baseball while only allowing one run and striking out five. The lefty currently has a 4.32 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. His performance helped beat the Eau Claire Express by a score of 8-1.
The Stingers Isaac Ballou (Marshall) had an amazing game from the second spot in the lineup on Sunday afternoon. Ballou was 4-for-6 with two runs scored and six RBI. Ballou, along with the other three batters at the top of the line-up were a combined 16-for-20 with six runs scored and 10 RBI. Ballou helped beat the Brainerd Lunkers by a score of 11-4 at Stewart C. Mills Field. Stinger teammate Carlos Leyva (Cal State Dominguez) had four hits on the night as well.
Sunday afternoon’s game featuring the Willmar Stingers and Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers was a hit fest. The two teams combined for 32 hits and 15 runs. The Stingers one thru four hitters were a combined 14-for-20 with ten RBI and six runs scored. Carlos Leyva (Cal State Dominguez), Isaac Ballou (Marshall), Jared Norris (Oregon State) and Jordan Smith (St. Cloud State) combined to have one of the best offensive nights this season in the NWL. Matt Collins (Central Florida) earned his second win of the season with a 6.0 inning three strikeout performance. Chadd Krist was 3-for-4 for the Lunkers in the loss.
