La Crosse, Wisc.- The Loggers break a 3-game skid with a 6-2 win over the Mankato MoonDogs.

The Loggers’ offense jumped on the MoonDogs’ starting pitcher Cooper Powell (Nevada) right away to start the game. Mason McCoy (Iowa) singled to start off the game. Mason stole 2^nd base and scored on a Cullen Large (William & Mary) double to the left field corner. Three batters later, Kyle Plantier (UC-Santa Barbara) singled to right field, scoring Large from 3^rd. Cooper Powell threw 35 pitches in the inning and per Northwoods League rules, could not return in the next inning. He finished with a one inning start.

Loggers’ left fielder Griffin Conine (Duke) came up to the plate with runners on the corners and one out in the 2^nd inning. He hit a no doubt 3-run home run blast to the over the Pizza Hut Fan Deck in the right fielder corner, extending the La Crosse lead to five.

Jake Hirabayashi (UCLA) added another run in the 3^rd inning on a fielder’s choice by Mason McCoy.

Viroqua native, Mitch Stalsberg (Winona State) pitched 4.1 stellar innings. He shutout the MoonDogs and surrendered only two hits. He walked 3 batters and also struck out 7, adding to his Northwoods League-leading 50 strikeouts. Mitch was taken out after 110 pitches He ended with a no-decision, because he did not complete the necessary 5.0 innings to earn the win.

Cason Sherrod (Texas A&M) pitched well in relief of Stalsberg, but ran into trouble in the 7^th inning. After a hit by pitch and two walks to start the inning, David Metzgar (Cal. State Bakersfield) ended the shutout with a sacrifice fly to right field. Bryce Adams (LSU) singled to center, scoring Gavin Wehby (Nicholls State).

Randy Labaut (Arizona) inherited three baserunners, with one out, against one of the top hitters in the Northwoods League in Jake Shepski (Notre Dame). Labaut got Shepski to popout in foul territory and a groundout to end the threat.

La Crosse gets back to .500 with the win (17-17), splitting the series with the MoonDogs. The loss eliminates Mankato from contention for the North Division First Half Championship. The Loggers have a chance to play spoiler again tomorrow. La Crosse faces the second-place Eau Clare Express next for the final series of the first half. The Express trails the St. Cloud Rox by a half game, with two games remaining. Catch the pregame show at 5:30 before the 6:05 first pitch on the Loggers Radio Network, Eagle 102.7 or the Loggers Radio App. 

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