Mankato, Minn. – The Loggers put up 13 hits in a 9-4 win over the Mankato MoonDogs. The game was declared final after the 5th inning due to rain.
The Loggers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning. The first three batters loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, a single, and a hit-by-pitch. Four runs scored in the next four at-bats on three singles and a sacrifice fly.
Mankato responded immediately in the bottom of the 1st. After a leadoff single, Jordan Washam (Louisiana Tech) doubled to put the MoonDogs on the board. Two walks loaded the bases with one out. A third consecutive walk scored another run. Following the walks, an error by shortstop Mason McCoy (Iowa) allowed the third run to score, cutting the La Crosse lead to one run.
La Crosse jumped right back where they started in the 2nd. After loading the bases again with no outs on two singles and a walk, Cullen Large (Wiliam & Mary) doubled, scoring Gavin Johns (UCLA) and Mason McCoy (Iowa). Two batters later, Lars Nootbaar (USC) hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Griffin Conine (Duke).
Mason McCoy singled with one out in the 3rd to extend the La Crosse lead to 8-3. Chase Hamilton (Austin Peay) took the run back with a leadoff home run.
La Crosse grabbed another run in the top of the 6th. Lightning struck during the inning, delaying the game by 30-minutes. Loggers’ starting pitcher Jack Ralston (UCLA) finished the 5th inning, but the game was declared final due to rain.
Jack Ralston pitched all five innings for the win (3-2). He gave up 4 runs on 6 hits. He walked 3 batters with 3 strikeouts. He became the first Logger to throw a complete game since Josh Frye in 2013.
Josh Matheson (Minnesota State Mankato) took the loss (3-3) for the MoonDogs. He pitched 2 innings, he gave up 7 runs on 7 hits. He walked 3 batters.
La Crosse won their 2nd straight game to move to 19-13 (36-32 overall). Mankato fell to 21-12 in the 2nd half (43-25 overall). La Crosse and Mankato face off tomorrow night for the final time this season. Game time is 7:05 PM.