MANKATO-Minn. The MoonDogs’ bats were silent in game one of their double header Tuesday evening as they managed just four hits in the loss to the Kenosha Kingfish 5-0 at Franklin Rogers Park.
Kenosha starting pitcher Zach Morgenstern went five innings and picked up the win allowing zero earned runs on four hits while striking out four. The Kingfish were able to get some run support in the third inning off MoonDogs starter Jake Jenkins when third baseman Spencer Gaa led off the inning with a single and CJ Slayer followed with a double to right center field. Jenkins was able to get Brooks to strikeout but leadoff man Taylor Douglas followed with a big two RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Kenosha added another three runs in the top of the seventh inning when Douglas drove in two more on a single to left and Chris Godinez followed with a single to right center. Both teams were sloppy in the field committing a pair of errors each.
Bright spots in the game for the MoonDogs included a line drive double in the bottom of the seventh from Eric Schenck-Joblinske and a single by Levi Scott in the fourth. He would eventually make it as far as third base but that was as close as Mankato came to scoring a run in the game. Scott has been hitting the ball extremely well for the MoonDogs as of late and now holds a batting average of .343 for the season.
In game two, the Mankato MoonDogs found the offense again and got above average pitching efforts from Ethan Greene, Trey Cobb, and Tyler Mark as they defeated the Kenosha Kingfish 5-2.
Tyler Sullivan led off the game with a big line drive double into the right center field gap, bringing right fielder Brinn Bell to the plate. Bell knocked a single through the right side of the infield to advance Sullivan to third and Levi Scott drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
Down one to nothing, the Kingfish came back to tie it at one off a solo home run by first baseman Zach Ratcliff. The tie score was short lived though as the MoonDogs got the lead back in the bottom of the second when Tyler Sullivan continued his impressive night with another RBI double, scoring shortstop Logan Gray.
Trouble came about for the MoonDogs, leading 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning when the Kingfish got a one out double from left fielder Pat Porter. He was able to score on a past ball to make it 3-2. Tyler Mark pitched his way out of a big jam though, striking out Steven Sensley and Jordan Romero to end the inning and keep Mankato ahead by one.
The MoonDogs added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and went on the win 5-2. With a double header split on Tuesday night, Mankato’s record is now 14-8, good for second place in the North Division as they trail the Willmar Stingers by a game and a half.
Ethan Greene got the win on the mound for the MoonDogs, improving his record to 2-2 on the season. Trevor Haas took the loss for Kenosha. The MoonDogs went six and two on their massive eight game home stand at Franklin Rogers Park. They now go on the road for the next six days, facing Duluth and Thunder Bay during that stretch.
Fans can listen to all home and road games on AM1230 The Fan Mankato with the voice of the MoonDogs Josh Horton. Tomorrow night’s game at Wade Stadium is scheduled to start at 6:35pm.
