By Connor Wachtel
Mankato, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs fell in game two to settle for a sweep with the Bismarck Larks on Wednesday night. The final score was 8-4 as power proved to be the difference for the Larks.
BOX SCORE: Bismarck 8, Mankato 4
A run went to each side in the first with Bismarck hitting an RBI single and Mankato scoring off a wild pitch. It got the scoring going in a hurry as it was all even 1-1 after one in Mankato.
Bismarck got out in front immediately in the second when Matt Warkentin (Xavier) launched a first-pitch leadoff homer to give the Larks a 2-1 lead.
In the third the Larks scored three more. It came off Warkentin’s bat again, as he notched his 2nd round tripper of the game and 3rd of the series. It gave Bismarck a 5-1 advantage after the third.
From that point on The Larks didn’t look back, scoring three more to claim an 8-1 lead after five at The Frank.
The MoonDogs did plate three more runs in the seventh with a pair of RBI singles and a bases-loaded walk. However, it wouldn’t be enough as the Dogs ultimately fell to the Larks 8-4 on Wednesday night in Mankato.
Player Notables:
Tanner Craig (Evansville) continued his success against the Larks in the series finale. He went 3-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
The win went to Bismarck’s starting arm, Bradley Collins (UMass – Amherst), after he went six complete innings allowing seven hits and a run. He walked a pair and struck out a pair. Fernando Diaz Jr. (Alabama AM) came in for relief work in the final two frames and walked one and struck out one in the hit and scoreless effort to shut down the Dogs.
Josh Ramirez (Washburn) made his return to The Frank on Wednesday night. He threw five innings, allowed 11 hits and eight runs in the loss. He also walked two and struck out two.
Due up for the Dogs:
Tomorrow the Mankato MoonDogs (20-24) hit the road for one game, the beginning of a home and home series with the St. Cloud Rox (24-19). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minn.
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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.
