The Mankato MoonDogs knocked off the Eau Claire Express Saturday with solid pitching and timely hitting, plating seven runs in a 7-1 win.
The MoonDogs scored one run in the first inning on a solo homerun by Jake Shepski (Xavier) to give the MoonDogs an early advantage.
The scoring halted until the fourth inning, as Express starter Reece Dietrich began to settle into a groove. In the fourth, Josh Elvir (Houston) singled to drive in CJ Huntley, who advanced with a double.
The game was broken open in the following frame, when Kyle MacDonald (Arkansas State) clubbed his league leading 13thhomerun of the season to score three more. MacDonald scored Shepski and Austin Bull (Grand Canyon), giving the MoonDogs a commanding lead they would not relinquish.
Mankato added an insurance run in the seventh, as MacDonald collected his fourth RBI of the day.
Jarod Wright (Southern Mississippi) collected his best start of the season, throwing seven shoutout innings. Wright scattered four hits while walking two, striking out three in the process.
Jon Ludwig (Minnesota State) and Brandon Pfaadt (Bellarmine) combined for two innings of relief, giving the MoonDogs a win in their return to Mankato.
RJ Teijeiro (UCLA) added two hits of his own, while Kenton Crews (Evansville) plated a run with a double.
The MoonDogs wrap up their series with Eau Claire Sunday, with first pitch slated for 3:05 PM.
