By Connor Wachtel
Rochester, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs fell to the Rochester Honkers in game two on Sunday. The final score was 6-2 after a five-run first for the Honkers proved to be the difference maker.
BOX SCORE: Rochester 6, Mankato 2
The Honkers got out to a very quick start on Sunday afternoon. Five runs came across for Rochester in the first. A home run from Ryan Ober (Oregon State) plated the first three runs. A hit by pitch that came with the bases loaded scored the fourth of the inning. The scoring barrage ended in the fifth with the fifth run scoring on an infield putout.
The MoonDogs responded with a pair in the top half of the second. Tyler Casagrande (Arizona) fueled the offense with a leadoff double. Damon Maynard (Olney Central CC) drove in Casagrande with a single to follow it up. Maynard eventually scored later on when Cuba Bess (Grand Canyon) flew out to right and recorded the RBI via a sac fly. The MoonDogs trailed 5-2 after the second frame.
Scoring resumed in the bottom of the sixth when the Honkers scored another run. Andy Armstrong (Oregon State) drove in Aaron Simmons (Univ. of Wis. – Stevens Point) with an RBI single. The score was 6-2 in favor of the Honkers after the sixth, where it would ultimately wrap up in the end.
Player Notables:
Earning the win for the Honkers was their starter, Ryan Middendorf (Lake Erie), who went seven complete frames allowing two runs on five hits. Middendorf walked one and retired six with strikeouts. Mike Lopez (Cal State San Marcos) came in for the eighth and ninth to finish off the game. Lopez walked one and struck three in the final two frames.
Nick Hull (Grand Canyon) was handed the loss after he started on the bump for the MoonDogs on Sunday afternoon. Hull pitched one inning and surrendered five runs on three hits where he also walked three. Shane Barringer (Bellarmine) relieved Hull in the second and went on to pitch 4.2 innings allowing five hits and a run. He walked one and struck out three. Cole Hoskins (Grand Canyon) went 1.1 innings of scoreless and hitless baseball. In relief of him, Alex Dorethy (Western Illinois) pitched in the eighth and struck out the side.
Due up for the Dogs:
Up next for the Mankato MoonDogs (12-16) is the Eau Claire Express (14-13). Following tomorrow’s off day, the Dogs will head to Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wis. For a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s probable starter for Mankato is Brett Newberg (Austin Peay). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, 225 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG), World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS) and MLB All-Stars Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
