Thunder Bay, ON – The Mankato MoonDogs resumed play today against the Thunder Bay Border Cats after game one of their set was rained out during the middle of the third inning. It would take extra innings to pull out the win, but the ‘Dogs got it done 8-4. During the second game, Mankato’s bats would be silenced as the lineup was one-hit by starter Cameron Churchill, with the final score 3-0 in a loss.
The MoonDogs scored four early runs, when Chase Hamilton approached the plate with the bases loaded. The left-handed hitter from Austin Peay stroked a deep grand slam to right field that gave Mankato an early 4-0 lead. But it was a lead that wasn’t safe.
Thunder Bay answered back in the bottom of the second, with Anthony Brocato scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 4-1 ballgame before rain began to fall at Port Arthur Stadium. The weather was heavy enough to postpone the game, which was picked up at 5:05 eastern the next day.
Brett Newberg would pick up where Jordan Harms left off for Mankato, but would encounter trouble in the fifth. Two runs would score for the Border Cats, narrowing the game to one-run. The MoonDogs were able to piece together the bullpen to carry a 4-3 lead into the 9th, where Brick Paskiewicz entered for the save.
With two outs, Bobby Honeyman drove in Grant Klenovich to tie the ballgame up. In all, the Border Cats strung together three hits to drive in the run, before Paskiewicz could get a strikeout of Andy Weber to end the ninth.
The MoonDogs’ bats came alive in the 10th, knocking in four runs and sending eigth hitters to the plate. A 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 10th closed out the game, giving Mankato an 8-4 win in game one.
Game two was a much lower scoring affair. Cameron Churchill ensured a Thunder Bay win after he tossed 6.2 innings of a perfect game with nine strikeouts against the league’s number one offense. The Border Cats picked up three runs over the first two innings, and that would be all they’d need to win the ballgame.
Jordan Washam had the lone hit for Mankato, striking a single in the top of the seventh inning. He would be stranded as the next two hitters would be retired to end the ballgame.
Churchill earned the win, while MoonDogs’ start Reece Eddins was charged with the loss. Eddins tossed a gem of his own, allowing one hit over his final five innings of work.
The MoonDogs return home on Monday to play the Duluth Huskies in a two-game set. First pitch will be at 7:05 PM at Franklin Rogers Park. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at www.mankatomoondogs.com or at their office on Caledonia Street.
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The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, 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 portal. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
