St. Cloud, MN — The Mankato MoonDogs won a season high-tying five games in a row heading into Friday night's game against the St. Cloud Rox, looking to drop the Rox even lower in the North division standings. St. Cloud resisted completely, scoring double digit runs against the MoonDogs at Joe Faber Field that led to a 12-4 loss for Mankato.
Reece Eddins took the hill for the MoonDogs in an attempt to win his fourth game of the season for Mankato, the hottest team in all of the Northwoods League. Eddins' battle would be a tough task going in: defeat a team that held the series lead (2-1) while holding their top-5 offense to as few runs as possible.
After cruising through the first inning, the Rox got to Eddins in the second. St. Cloud picked up seven runs on seven hits against the MoonDogs' starter, loading the bases multiple times in an inning that saw 11 hitters come to the plate. The Rox got out to a 7-0 lead early, and rarely looked back.
Mankato got the game close, chipping away at the seven run lead in the third with two runs, and again in the fifth when all-star Jake Shepski hit his eighth home run of the year. The two-run shot brought the 'Dogs within 3 runs of St. Cloud, and it looked like the bats had come alive for the MoonDogs offense.
St. Cloud answered back for the second and final time in the bottom half of the inning, bringing around five more runs to top off an impressive night at the plate. In all, the Rox scored 12 runs on 13 hits to end Mankato's five game win streak. Eddins was charged with the loss while St. Cloud's Shelby Lackey picked up the win. All-star Collin Strall earned his seventh save of the season for St. Cloud.
The MoonDogs return home on Saturday for a weekend set against the Eau Claire Express, with first pitch at 6:05 PM for "Strikin' Out Cancer Night" presented by Hooligans, H & R Block, and KTOE. Tickets are still availible online, or by stopping by the office on Caledonia street. You can tune into all of the action by listening to The Fan Mankato (1230 AM & 103.1 FM).
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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.
