MANKATO-Minn. The Lakeshore Chinooks continued their impressive run in the Northwoods League, sweeping the MoonDogs on Tuesday evening 18-3 to bring their winning streak to eleven in a row.
Unfortunately, the game was very similar to Monday night’s contest for the MoonDogs as they managed just three runs on six hits while committing five errors at Franklin Rogers Park Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 1346. The Chinooks ended the night with eighteen runs on sixteen hits with three errors.
James McMahon got the start for Mankato on the mound and went four innings giving up seven runs, (two earned) on six hits including two walks and one strikeout. Chinooks starting pitcher Evan Kruczynski allowed two runs, both earned off four hits with a walk and three strikeouts through six innings of work to pick up the win.
Most of the offensive damage was done in the top of the fourth inning when the Chinooks were able to bat around the order, collecting plenty of hits, walks, and MoonDogs fielding errors along the way. Catcher Zack Bower led off with a double to left field and and Luke Meeteer reached on a MoonDogs error.
Then Ryan Larson put an RBI single up the middle of the infield and Sawyer Polen followed with a 2RBI double down the right field line. Things continued to get worse in the fourth inning for Mankato as Jake Noll, Brett Siddall, Brant Valach, Michael Morman, Zack Bowers, and Luke Meeteers all reached base in some way after the Sawyer Polen double.
With the loss, the MoonDogs drop to (13-12) in the north division second half standings but are still within reach of a playoff push, despite the rough losses to Lakeshore at home as they trail the division leading Waterloo Bucks by two games. Lakeshore by contrast has a strong grip on the south division, leading the Wisconsin Woodchucks by five games at (21-3).
The MoonDogs will be back in action tomorrow night when they visit Joe Faber field, taking on the St. Cloud Rox. Fans can listen to the game on AM1230 The Fan Mankato with the radio voice of the MoonDogs Josh Horton.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 20-year old summer collegiate 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, 120 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 via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.
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