Rochester, MN — Ricky Digrugilliers picked up his first win of the season on Thursday night en route to winning the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night honor. Run support was plenty as the Mankato offense mustered up 12 runs in the ballgame, on their way to a 12-2 rout of the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field. 

The Rochester Honkers (0-3) played host to the Mankato MoonDogs (3-0) in each team's third game of the season on Thursday night. Ricky Digrugilliers (1-0) helped Mankato to their third straight win to start the season, going 6.0 innings while holding the Honkers to three hits. Rochester didn't score a run while the Western Illinois product was on the hill, while being struck out five times in addition to Digrugilliers allowing zero walks. 

The MoonDogs offense offered run support before Digrugilliers even picked up a ball. Gavin Wehby (Nicholls State) singled to right field and came around to score during te next at bat, a two-run homer by Jake Shepski (Notre Dame) that quickly made it a 2-0 game in Mankato's favor. 

The second inning would be even more fruitful for the MoonDogs, as Marcus Pingleton (Heartland CC) stepped in with the bases loaded. Rochester's Jackson Rose (0-1) gave up a mammoth grand slam to Pingleton to deep left-center field to give the MoonDogs a 6-0 lead after two innings. Though they would add six more runs, that would be all of the runs Mankato needed to seal the deal. 

Jake Shepski finished the night going 3-for-5 with that home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Gavin Wehby went 3-for-6 at the plate on Thursday, scoring twice while driving in an RBI of his own. For Rochester, Jed Sprauge (Nevada) had two hits on the night. 

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.

###

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