Thunder Bay, ON – The Mankato MoonDogs and Thunder Bay Border Cats needed 18 hours to decide their first contest of the season, with the season opener becoming a rain-soaked washout. The MoonDogs took a 6-2 lead into Wednesday morning, with the game picking up in the top of the fourth inning.
Mankato would score nine more runs in the game as the final six innings were played out while allowing just four. Nate Jones (Northwestern State), who earned the win, went 3.0 innings before the rainout. Jones allowed just two runs on three hits, issuing two walks and striking out one. When the action picked up Wednesday morning, Jeremy Quinlan (Youngstown State) carried the torch holding the Border Cats to one run on six hits. Quinlan also struck out two in his Northwoods League debut.
Gavin Wehby (Nicholls State) led the MoonDogs offensive assault, going 4-for-4, scoring three runs while driving in two. In addition to Wehby, five other MoonDogs had a multi-hit game: Jake Shepski (Notre Dame) with three hits, Brick Paskiewicz (Grand Canyon) had two, Jordan Kozicky (Minnesota) added three, Alex Tucker (Nicholls State) had two, and Alvaro Rubalcaba (Cal State Northridge) added two, including a leadoff solo homer to start the eighth inning.
Game two became a seven-inning contest that was, once again, all MoonDogs. Mankato would move to 2-0 on the season by shutting out the Border Cats, limiting them to just three hits on the afternoon.
Jordan Harms (North Dakota State) went 5.0 innings while striking out five. His two-hit effort kept Thunder Bay off the basepaths, issuing just two walks in the game. Kevin Yarabinec (Youngstown State) shut the door for the final two innings, allowing one hit and a walk without allowing a run. Yarabinec also struck out two.
Alvaro Rubalcaba put together another two-hit game while scoring a run and notching an RBI in the winning effort. Jordan Kozicky also filled out the box score going 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored himself.
The MoonDogs will take their 2-0 record on the road on Thursday to take on the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field in Rochester. First pitch is at 7:05 PM, and can be heard on The Fan Mankato (103.1 FM and 1230 AM).
The MoonDogs’ home opener is scheduled for Friday, June 3rd at 7:05 p.m. against the Rochester Honkers at Franklin Rogers Park. Season and single game tickets are now on sale, call 507-625-7047 or visit the MoonDogs’ office at 1221 Caledonia Street in Mankato for more information.
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The Northwood’s League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 23-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, more than 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016, 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 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com