La Crosse, WI — Jake Shepski hit his 11th home run of the season to propel the Mankato MoonDogs to not only a win on Monday night, but a playoff birth. The MoonDogs edged out the La Crosse Loggers 4-2 at Copeland Park.
Shepski (Notre Dame) stepped up to the plate in the third inning, following Drew Fearing doubling to left field. In a 3-2 count, the MoonDogs left fielder belted his 11th home run of the season. The homer put Mankato up 3-0 at the time, but would go on to win the game 4-2.
Jake Roberts (Gonzaga) got the MoonDogs out to an early lead in the second inning with an RBI single to drive in Alvaro Rubalcaba to make it a 1-0 lead. Jordan Washam (LA Tech) tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, bringing home Bryce Adams (LSU) with a ringing double to left field.
La Crosse chipped away at the MoonDog lead during the game, scoring runs in the fifth and the ninth inning, but it wouldn’t be enough for the Loggers. Kody Rock (Mayville State) earned his first win of the season, throwing 7.0 innings while allowing one run on four hits. Rock walked five with a strikeout in his second appearance for Mankato.
Brian Gadsby (UCLA) earned his fifth save of the season while allowing one run over his two innings pitched. Randy Labaut (Arizona) suffered his second loss of the season for the Loggers.
The Mankato MoonDogs clinched their first playoff birth since 2014 on Monday evening with the win over the La Crosse Loggers. Mankato received help from the Madison Mallards, with Madison beating the Willmar Stingers 5-4.
The MoonDogs will be out of action on Tuesday with the Major League Dreams Showcase in Madison. Jake Shepski, Chase Hamilton, David Metzgar, Jordan Kozicky, Kevin Yarabinec, and Dalton Lehnen will represent the MoonDogs. You can catch all of the action on Northwoods League TV.
The MoonDogs will play their final regular season road game on Wednesday against the Loggers at 7:05 PM. Mankato will return home for the final five games of the season at Franklin Rogers Park.
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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