Mankato, Minn. – It was just another night, another win and two new key contributors for the Mankato MoonDogs. Saturday it was AJ Pettersen and John Brebbia, as Pettersen recorded three hits and Brebbia pitched out of a jam in the seventh to record his first save, leading the MoonDogs past Duluth 5-3 at Franklin Rogers Park.

Pettersen (Minnesota) had his best game of the season, as the Golden Gopher slapped out three hits, scored a run and provided a clutch, perfectly executed safety squeeze single in the eighth inning. Pettersen raised his average a whopping 143 points, as he is now hitting .294 on the season.

Brebbia (Elon) earned his first save of season by pitching 2.2 innings of near-perfect baseball. Brebbia entered the game with the MoonDogs clinging to a 4-3 lead, runners at second and third for Duluth (11-12) and one out. He responded by striking out the next two hitters, eventually finishing the game with five strikeouts and allowing just one hit.

It was yet another quick start for the MoonDogs (16-7), as they put up a four-spot in the first inning and now have outscored opponents 14-6 in their first at-bat.

Two big plays in the frame propelled the Dogs to the lead. With the bases loaded and one out, Jimmy Patterson (Central Arizona) chopped a soft ground ball to third baseman Andy Burns (Kentucky). Burns tried to nab Pettersen at home but rifled the ball over catcher Doug Joyce’s (Florida International) head, allowing Pettersen and Ryan Durant (Iowa) to score to make it a 2-0 game.

The other came the next at-bat as Kyle Knudson (Minnesota) singled in Danny Miller (Minnesota State) from third. Knudson rounded first too aggressively and was caught in a rundown, but after four tosses, shortstop Zach Walters (San Diego) threw the ball into left field, allowing Patterson to score for a 4-0 MoonDog lead.

The win was the MoonDog’s fourth straight, marking their third, four-game win streak of the season. The win also secured a perfect record of 13-0 leading after the seventh inning.

Three other MoonDogs also had multiple hits as Knudson, Tony Strazzara (San Diego) and KC Serna (Oregon) all had two.

Duluth also had four players of its own with multiple hits. Burns, Joyce, Nathan Melendres (Miami) and Jericho Weitzel (Florida) all had two hits.

Zach Whitman (Georgia Southwestern) picked up his second win of the season (2-1), striking out four in 5.2 innings. RJ Fondon (Florida International) fell to 1-1 for the Huskies, allowing just one earned run and settling down to shutout the Dogs after the rocky first inning.

Tomorrow the MoonDogs and Huskies will wrap up their series with a 6:05 first pitch from Franklin Rogers Park.