MoonDogs Notch Split with Border Cats After Convincing Win Wednesday

Sean Ross (Pensacola) notched the Dogs first hit of the game with a double in the first. The two-out hit was backed with another two bagger that scored Ross via Adan Fernandez (Nova Southeastern). The MoonDogs held an early 1-0 lead after the first.

Mankato doubled their lead in the bottom of the third. Another RBI went to Fernandez’s stat line after he flew out to deep center, allowing Nick Novak (Angelo State) to score with ease and make it 2-0.

In the fourth, Jake Moberg (UCLA) came in to score after Novak chopped a ball towards second base that ended as a fielder’s choice RBI in the scorebook. The score was 3-0 after four in favor of the Dogs.

The Dogs got out to an eight-run lead in the fifth. It came from an explosively offensive middle frame. Cuba Bess (Grand Canyon) put the icing on the cake to finish off the inning with a two-RBI single.

In the sixth, the Dogs kept it going with another pair of runs. They came from Moberg’s bat as he continued to swing the hot stick by roping an RBI single.

In the eighth, James Gargano (Butler) got in on the offense with an RBI knock of his own. It plated Tanner Craig (Evansville) and upped Mankato’s lead to 11-1. After Jacob Pinc (Viterbo) came in to work the ninth, he shut the door and secured the Dogs 10-run win.

Player Notables:

Moberg was the Player of the Game for the MoonDogs. He went 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored.

Jaxon Passino (Kansas State) cruised to take the win as the starter for Mankato. He pitched six innings and surrendered one run just before the end of his outing. Passino was hit off four times and walked four while retiring six on strikes. Conner Campbell (Lander) pitched the seventh and eighth. He struck out two as he retired six batters with ease. Pinc came in for the ninth, surrendered a hit and struck out the final out.

For Thunder Bay, Peyton Burks (Arkansas at Pine Bluff) was the starting pitcher. He was handed the loss after he went four complete and was hit off six times for seven runs (four earned). Burks handed out four free passes and struck out two others.

Due up for the Dogs:

Tomorrow the Mankato MoonDogs (28-33) and the Rochester Honkers begin a two-game series. Conner Campbell (Lander) will make his first start of the summer for the Dogs. The game is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Mayo Field in Rochester, Minn.

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