MANKATO, Minn.–The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, started the season out with a bang, both on and off the Franklin Rogers field Friday against the St. Cloud Rox.
A booming attendance of 1,811, including Twins Hall of Famer, Rick Aguilera, witnessed the MoonDogs secure their first win at the Frank and third win overall for the 2012 summer. Aguilera commenced the season with an honorary first pitch to get the game underway.
On home grass, the MoonDogs were the first to light up the scoreboard starting with lead-off hitter, Kyle Turner (Missouri Baptist). Turner, who hit two home runs on Thursday, was sent to first after being hit by a pitch. In a pass ball, on a Jorge Flores (Central Arizona) strikeout, Turner reached third base with only one out in the inning. In his second season with the MoonDogs, Blair Moore (Cal Baptist) located the situation and hit a ground ball to bring Turner home, while recording an RBI.
In a slow-paced game, as players adjust to their new surroundings early in the season, it was a back and forth battle between pitchers struggling to find the strike zone. In the end, the outcome of the game came down to timely hits. Flores, with a game breaking double in the second inning, added on two more runs after the MoonDogs had already notched in two runs earlier in the inning to lead the Rox 5-1.
The MoonDogs, who have been surprising teams with their extra base hits so far this season, would go on to defeat the Rox 10-5 after three and half hours of play recording one double, and a pounded out triple that were both driven in for runs.
The MoonDogs will start their four day road series as they travel to St. Cloud for Saturday’s game against the Rox at 7:05 p.m. at Joe Faber Field.
On Wednesday, the MoonDogs will be back at the Frank to take on the Thunder Bay Border Cats at 7:05 p.m. Season and single game tickets can be purchased at the MoonDogs office located at 1221 Caledonia Street. For more information visit our website at www.mankatomoondogs.com or call the MoonDogs office at 507-625-7047.