By: Connor Wachtel

MANKATO, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs (2-0) used an eight-run first inning, Tuesday, to secure their second-straight win of the season 19-3 over the La Crosse Loggers (0-2). 

 

After opening the game with eight runs in the first inning, Mankato put up runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings en route to a 19-3 victory over the Loggers to complete their first series on a winning streak. 

 

The fifth inning featured the MoonDogs’ biggest hit of the evening with Adrian Torres (Grand Canyon) hitting the MoonDogs’ first home run of the 2021 season. It was a solo homer to right to put Mankato up 11-0. 

 

Despite doubling up La Crosse with four errors to the opposition’s pair of miscues in the field, the MoonDogs prevailed with a 17-6 advantage in hits. 

 

In relief, Dalton Mesaris (Western Kentucky) moved to 1-0, securing his first win as a MoonDog. He pitched the seventh and eighth with perfect innings, allowing no runs or hits. He walked one and struck out a pair. MoonDogs returning right-handed starter Nick Schmidt (Missouri State) got the call to start. He threw three shutout innings allowing one hit, walking four and striking out one. 

 

The loss went to Loggers’ right-hander Sam Jones (0-1) failed to escape the opening inning as the MoonDogs pounced for eight runs on six hits and three errors. He got one out with a strikeout. 

 

Up next for the MoonDogs is the St. Cloud Rox, Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. in Mankato. 

-DOGS- 

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’ 27th 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.