The Mankato MoonDogs stopped their losing skid at two games with a huge 11-7 victory in 11 innings in a wild game at the first ever Northwoods League game at Historic Simmons Field in Kenosha, WI on Saturday night.
The MoonDogs struck first for the fourth time this season when Tyler Sullivan roped a leadoof single to centerfield, stole second and came around to score on a Kingfish throwing error.
Mankato picked up two more runs in the fourth, extending its lead to 3-0 following a Levi Scott single and a Ridge Smith double. Both Smith and Scott would come around to score on wild pitched.
Pat Porter’s RBI triple put the Kingfish on the board in the home half of the fourth, plating Chris Godinez who singled earlier in the inning and bringing the Kingfish within 3-1.
Kenosha capitalized on three Mankato errors, picking up three runs in the home half of the sixth and taking a 4-3 lead. Godinez provided the only earned run of the inning with a solo blast over the left-centerfield wall.
The MoonDogs refused to quit as Ridge Smith knotted the game at 4-4 with a long home run way over the left-centerfield wall in the top half of the eighth. Neither team plated a run in the next few innings until the MoonDogs offense exploded in the top of the 11th.
David Petrino broke the 4-4 tie with a single and a throwing error allowed Craig Lepre to score all the way from second. However, the MoonDogs were far from done in the inning as Spencer O’Neil cam to the plate and ripped a line drive that snuck over the right field wall to give the MoonDogs a 7-4 lead in the ballgame. Mankato picked up two more runs on a fielding error to take a 9-4 lead and Brett Synek came up and ripped an RBI double. Synek would later score on yet another Kingfish error and the MoonDogs took an 11-7 lead into the home half of the ninth.
The Kingfish picked up three runs in the ninth and made things interesting at Simmond Field, but it was too little, too late as Matt Pate shut the door on Kenosha, securing the 11-7 victory for the MoonDogs.
Jacob Westerhouse (1-0) picked up his first win of the season, striking out two in two innings of relief. Dillon Williams was solid, earning a no decision while allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings. The southpaw struck out six and walked just one. Garrett Ring tossed 2 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run and struck out two.
Paul Schuster (0-1) suffered the loss for the Kingfish, allowing three unearned runs.
With the win the MoonDogs improve to 3-2 while the Kingfish fall to 3-2. The two teams will conclude their two game series Sunday evening at Simmons Field. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.. Following the road finale the MoonDogs head home to Mankato to face Willmar at “The Frank.” First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com.
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