The Mankato MoonDogs used a combination of stellar pitching and an eight-run fourth inning to cruise to an 8-0 victory over the Rochester Honkers in the first game of a home and home series with the Honkers at Franklin Rogers Park.
The MoonDogs stranded a pair of runners in the first, but ended up getting all the scoring they would need with an eight-run top half of the fourth. Levi Scott got things started in the inning with a leadoff double and Spencer O’Neil came up with a huge two-run blast over the right-centerfield wall.
Mankato’s offense continued to produce in the inning as Craig Lepre roped a single back up the middle. Brett Murray was hit by a pitch and Derek Umphres brought them all home with a rocket double down the left field line. Eric Schenck-Jablinski then drew a walk and Brinn Bell followed with an RBI double down the right field line.
Jake Yacinich was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for the MoonDogs with one out in the inning. Scott then came to the plate and crushed a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field. O’Neill then capped the scoring with a two-run double to the left-centerfield gap to give the MoonDogs the 8-0 lead after four.
Neither team could muster a run in the final five innings, but it was the MoonDogs who emerged with the 8-0 victory and their third shutout of the season.
Jake Jennings was terrific, earning his second win of the season. He tossed six shutout innings while allowing just four hits and struck out eight. Mark Curtis tossed two scoreless innings of relief and Taylor Elman shut the door with a scoreless ninth.
Spencer Greer suffered the loss for the Honkers, allowing five runs over 3 1/3 innings. Ryan Diers gave up the final three runs while LJ Brewster and John Conquay tossed scoreless innings of relief for the Honkers.
With the win Mankato improves to 5-4 while Rochester falls to 5-3 on the season.
The two teams are back at it Thursday night in Rochester. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
You can listen to all the games live on AM 1230 The Fan Mankato with voice of the MoonDogs, Josh Horton. Pre-game show from Rochester starts at 6:45.
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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