By: Connor Wachtel
Mankato, Minn. — The Mankato MoonDogs went mute, Tuesday, dropping their third straight game, 17-2, to the Willmar Stingers in their final game at Franklin Rogers Park of the season.
Willmar worked for a trio of three-run innings and a pair of four-run innings while obliterating the hosting MoonDogs, 17-2.
The MoonDogs made their way into the score column first, Tuesday, when Ethan Mocchi flew out to right deep enough to score Tommy Beres from third and put the MoonDogs up 2-0 in the first.
Ethan Mocchi put the MoonDogs on the board first with an RBI single in the second frame. (Image captured by Mansoor Ahmad)
In the third, Griffin Cheney evened the score with one swing of the bat. Then, Jayson Newman singled to give the Stingers the lead. Later on, The Stingers scored amidst chaos on the basepaths with help from a Mankato error. The score was 3-1 in favor of the visiting Stingers after the third inning.
Seven more runs for the Stingers scored between the fourth and fifth as Willmar rounded it out at a 10-1 advantage through five frames.
Patrick Timmer came in to score from third after a defensive mishap via the Stingers shortstop. It shrunk the deficit one, 10-2.
Willmar scored four more times in the seventh and three more times in ninth before the game could finish as the MoonDogs dropped their third straight game, 17-2, to the Stingers.
The hit column also saw a massive margin in the finalized box score as Willmar routed Mankato 20-6 in knocks. The MoonDogs finished with four errors to Willmar’s two.
Willmar’s Jack Zigan got the win for his eight-inning showing on Tuesday. The Minnesota State, Mankato, right hander was hit off six times for two runs (one earned). Zigan walked one while striking out five.
The losing pitcher was Mankato’s Jayce Luna after he went four innings in his first start with the club. The right hander from Gustavus Adolphus College allowed six runs (five earned) on 11 hits. He walked two and struck out four.
For tonight’s box score click HERE.
Tomorrow, the Mankato MoonDogs (17-23) travel to Bill Taunton Stadium to take on the Willmar Stingers (20-20) in the two squads season-series finale is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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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.