By: Connor Wachtel
St. Cloud, Minn. — The Mankato MoonDogs went into St. Cloud Wednesday night in search of their first win of the 2020 season. The Rox had other plans, shutting out the MoonDogs 7-0 to add a fifth loss to Mankato’s overall record.
Nick Marinconz recorded the game winning hit, a solo home run to left, in the fifth to disrupt an early scoreless trend in the game. A bases-loaded infield single by Jordan Barth scored a second run later in the inning. St. Cloud took a 2-0 lead into the sixth and didn’t look back.
Rox catcher, Luke Roskam, added insurance in the seventh with a solo home run to dead center. Four batters later, Barth added another RBI single to his stat line and made it 4-0.
The Rox sealed the deal with another three runs from a couple free passes and a base hit in their last chance to hit.
St. Cloud also won the hit battle 8-3 and were unmarred on defense, providing the visiting MoonDogs with no errors. The Dogs floundered with two defensive miscues.
Will Anderson was honored as the pitcher of record for the Rox in relief. Anderson pitched the fourth and fifth innings where he no hit the MoonDogs and struck out three.
MoonDogs right hander, Shane Gray, fell to 0-2 on the season despite a solid night on the hill up until the fifth. He went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on five hits. Gray walked a pair and struck out four.
For tonight’s box score click HERE.
The Mankato MoonDogs, now 0-5 on the season, return home tomorrow to finish the two-game series with the St. Cloud Rox (3-4). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. 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. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team
