Willmar, MN – The Mankato MoonDogs took their perfect 5-0 road record to the Bee Hive to face the Willmar Stingers for the second game of a home and away series. Jake Shepski would pound out three hits, but Mankato would be shut out on Tuesday night by a final score of 7-0.
Jordan Harms (1-1) started his second outing of the season off strong, allowing one hit over his first four innings of work on the mound. During that time the Mankato offense out-hit Willmar 7-1. Blake Stockert (1-1) navigated treacherous waters through those four innings, working out of jams in both the second and third innings with double plays while seeing the bases loaded by the MoonDogs on three different occasions.
Willmar was able to capitalize in the fifth, with a breakout inning against Harms. Justin Tourner reached with a leadoff single, but would advance to third on a stolen base couple with a throwing error. Brandon Perez drove Tourner in two hitters later. The stingers would add two more later during the fifth when Danny Pardo reached on a single to center field making it 3-0 after five complete innings.
The Stingers added another run in the sixth, and three more insurance runs in the seventh. All total Willmar would finish the game with seven runs on six hits, with one error in the field. Mankato closed out the set by being shut out for the first time this season, while stroking 10 hits but committing four costly errors.
Harms was saddled with the loss, while Stockert picked up his first win of the season. Jake Shepski had another great night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a walk for the night. Overall in the two game set Shepski went 6-for-9 at the plate for Manakto.
The MoonDogs will be at home on Wednesday for a double header against the Rochester Honkers. First pitch will be at 6:05 PM at Franklin Rogers Park, and can be heard on The Fan Mankato (103.1 FM & 1230 AM) or at www.mankatomoondogs.com
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 Northwood’s 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 Northwood’s 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 Northwood’s League. Playing its 23nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016, the Northwood’s 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 Northwood’s 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 Northwood’s League Website. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com