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Published On: May 29th, 2009

Mankato, Minn. – As the 2009 home opener for the Mankato MoonDogs creeped toward the four-hour mark, Matt Swynenberg (Black Hawk College) and Arik Sikula were lights out in relief for the MoonDogs and Rochester Honkers respectively. Apparently their pitching performances triggered something at Franklin Rogers Park as the lights went out at 11:00 p.m., as the game was suspended, ending at 4-4 in the top of the 13th inning.

After a Drew Beuerlein double in the 13th Chris Auten took ball one from Swynenberg before the lights shut down, and the scheduled fireworks display was set off. The game will be resumed on June 3rd in Mankato.

After all the opening day festivities, the MoonDogs gave Faribault native and starting pitcher Jacob Petricka (Indiana State) 3-0 lead. The "X”, Xorge Carillo (Central Arizona) rapped a two-out single in the first to score Cody Fick (Evansville) for the game’s first run.

The ‘Dogs extended their lead in the second with two more runs, as Chris Murrill (Nicholls State) singled home Nick Judkins (Iowa Central) and Fick knocked in Troy Larson (Minnesota) with a groundout to make it a 3-0 game.

The Honkers responded in the fourth, scoring a run without the luxury of a base hit. Andrew Thomas walked to start the inning, and moved around the bases on two groundouts before scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 3-1 contest.

Patricka got off to a great start, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. The MoonDogs would score their last run of the evening via an unearned run off the bat of Edgar Molina (Southwest CC) to make it a three-run cushion.

Auten would then even the game with the last runs of the evening with one swing of the bat in the sixth, crushing a three-run bomb to right field to knot the contest at four.

After that Swynenberg and Sikula took over. Swynenberg pitched 5.1 innings in relief, striking out eight Honkers and allowing just three hits. Sikula was perhaps even more impressive, tossing three innings out of the pen and striking out seven without allowing a hit.

Fick, Carillo and Larson led the MoonDog attack, all collecting two hits as the squad out-hit Rochester 9-6.

The MoonDogs will embark on a four-game road swing, starting tomorrow in Wausau against the Woodchucks. Rochester will also be on the road, heading to Green Bay to take on the Bullfrogs. First pitch from Wausau will be at 6:35 p.m. while start time from the land of Lambeau will be at 7:05 on Saturday.