Slow start haunts Duluth lineup
Wyatt Kopelman – wmk23@miami.edu
Duluth, Minn. – The Duluth Huskies baseball team fell in its series opener to the Mankato MoonDogs 6-1 on Saturday at ISG Field.
Behind 3-0 after the fourth inning, the Huskies found a small spark in the seventh.
Following a single to left field from first baseman Peyton Powell, shortstop Kristian Campbell stole home to slice the Huskies’ deficit to three.
But Mankato answered immediately, relying on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single by shortstop Simon Scherry.
Duluth (22-22) never found other scoring plays following a slow start, in which its first 15 batters were retired. Fifteen total Huskies batters struck out.
After leaving two runners on base in the third, the MoonDogs (24-21) plated three runs on back-to-back RBI scoring plays. Right fielder Angelo Peraza hit a two-run triple and second baseman Mikey Gottschalk added a two-out RBI single in the fourth, padding Mankato’s three-run lead.
Right-handed reliever Cameron Demos lifted starter Devin Dodson in the sixth. Dodson finished with four runs surrendered on 10 hits.
Given the loss, Duluth dropped to 2-5 in the season series against Mankato, after splitting its previous home series in a 4-2 loss Friday at Wade Stadium.
Dodson (2-3) was tacked with the loss, while MoonDogs left-hander Corey Sanchez (3-1) was credited the win in a start that involved seven strikeouts.
Mankato right-hander Tyson Neighbors, who earned the save Friday, was given his eighth save after retiring the ninth on strikeouts.
Next, Duluth returns to ISG Field for its final meeting of the season series against Mankato Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.
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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.
