Mankato, MN – Despite a late rally the MoonDogs fell to the Stingers by a final score of 6-3 Wednesday night in front of a sellout, and largest crowd of the season, 1,631 at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, Minnesota.

Mankato MoonDogs (13-19, 31-37) would hang with the North Division power Willmar Stingers (20-13, 43-24) for much of the game until the eighth inning when the Stingers would plate six runs on five hits. In the ninth, the Cardiac K-9’s would plate two runs but would be unable to do anything further.

MoonDogs starter Mitch Kelly (0-1) would work five complete shutout innings on the hill, only allowing three hits and fanned three Stingers.

Kelly would only be bested by Stingers ace, starter Zach Strecker (7-2). Strecker would work seven innings scattering four hits, allowed one run and struck out four.

Offensively for the MoonDogs, Mikel Mucha would go 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Paul Panaccione would go 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Sean Beesley would be the only Stinger to tally two hits. He went 2-for-5 with one RBI in the game. Brian Pruett would also do some damage go 1-for-4 with three RBIs which all came in the six run eighth.

The win would go to Strecker, the loss would go bullpen arm Cody O’Brien (2-1).

The MoonDogs head to St. Cloud to take on the Rox tomorrow, Thursday, at 7:05PM and will return to The Frank Friday to open up a three game homestand to close out the 2015 campaign. Gates open at 6:05PM with first pitch at 7:05PM for a water bottle giveaway presented by Buffalo Wild Wings. 

"The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.”