Huskies struggle with fielding and men in scoring position
Story by Evan Popalis. His email: epopalis83@gmail.com
MANKATO, Minn – The Duluth Huskies opened their 2022 season on the road against the Mankato MoonDogs Monday evening. The home team had all of the fun as Mankato took the opener, 8-2.
A Duluth error led to the opening run for Mankato in the bottom of the second inning. Fast forward to the home half of the third, Sean Ross blasted a two-run home run to extend the MoonDogs lead to 3-0. The Huskies got on the board for the first time in the top of the fifth inning. Arizona Western College’s Noah Marcelo had an RBI fielder’s choice to cut the Duluth deficit to two runs.
Devin Dodson took the slab for the Huskies to start the campaign. The Friends University product lasted four innings as he conceded three runs on four hits, including a pair of walks and five strikeouts.
Nolan Pender got the nod for the Moondogs, and he performed at his peak.
The Bellarmine gunslinger went a solid 5 2/3 innings, allowing a single run on five hits. The Louisville, Kentucky native walked four batters and recorded five strikeouts.
Pender was awarded the victory, and Dodson received the loss in the outing.
The MoonDogs had an offensive explosion in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. Mankato snagged an 8-1 advantage heading into the final frame. Duluth
salvaged a run in the front half of the ninth inning, but it would not be enough to overcome the steep climb it faced.
Errors in the field killed the Huskies in the team’s first game. Three errors showed on the scoreboard for the visiting Duluth squad. The Huskies also committed two batter interferences
in the contest during stolen base attempts. The inability to get runners home was an issue for both sides. The Huskies and MoonDogs each stranded 10 runners on base throughout the night.
The Huskies and MoonDogs will do business at 6:35 pm CT Tuesday evening at ISG Field in Mankato. The starting pitchers have not been announced for the game.
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The Duluth Huskies are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 28th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 280 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.duluthhuskies.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Huskies as your favorite team.
