Kalamazoo, MI — The Mankato MoonDogs arrived at Homer Stryker Field hoping to rebound from a loss to open up the second half of the season. Thursday night's tilt was tight early, but the Kalamazoo Growlers overwhelmed Mankato, winning 7-4 and earning the sweep.
Ricky Digrugilliers (Western Illinois) took the mound for the MoonDogs looking to improve on his 3-2 record. The right-hander pitched well for Mankato, allowing just two hits over five innings. He would hold the Growlers to three runs, and allowed the Dogs to break even before he left the game after the fifth, but it wouldn't be enough for the MoonDogs.
After Digrugilliers was lifted from the game Kalamazoo quickly capitalized. The Growlers scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, with the first four hitters of the inning reaching, and all eventually coming home to score. The 7-3 deficit was too much for Mankato to overcome, after they were held hitless after the fifth inning.
The loss dropped the MoonDogs to 22-15 on the season, while the club is off to a slow start in the second half at 0-2. Mankato will get another shot at a south-division opponent tomorrow, taking on the Battle Creek Bombers at 7:05 PM EDT, 6:05 CDT.
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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.
