Waterloo, IA —  The Mankato MoonDogs arrived at Riverfront Stadium to face the Waterloo Bucks with plenty of momentum. Riding a two-game win streak and sitting 1.5 games out of first place in the North Division, the MoonDogs battled it out with the Bucks, eventually falling in a close game by a final score of 4-3.

Ricky Digrugilliers (Western Illinois) started the ballgame for the MoonDogs, and was untouchable through his first three-innings of work allowing one hit while striking out three. During the fourth inning, Digrugilliers ran into trouble. Waterloo plated three runs thanks to five hits, four straight to take a 3-0 lead.

The MoonDogs struck back in the top of the fifth, with three runs of their own crossing the plate to tie the game. Bryce Adams (LSU) reached as the leadoff hitter on an error by the third baseman, eventually coming around to score. Jordan Kozicky (Minnesota) and Jake Roberts (Gonzaga) would also score to tie the balllgame at three runs each. The MoonDogs would leave the bases loaded in the inning.

Waterloo again had the answer, though, tacking on one run in the bottom half of the fifth to take back the lead. That run would prove to be too much, as the Bucks strong bullpen shut the Mankato bats down for the final four innings. Mankato would be held to just four hits the rest of the game, falling to the Bucks 4-3.

The MoonDogs will take on the Waterloo Bucks again on Friday evening, first pitch at 7:05 PM on The Fan Mankato, iHeart Radio, and mankatomoondogs.com.

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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, visitwww.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.