By: Mitchell Speltz
St. Cloud, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs (34-16) four-game winning streak was stopped by the St. Cloud Rox (37-12) on Saturday night with a 6-2 loss.
The Rox scored in the first inning thanks to Jordan Barth (Augustana) who singled in a run to make it 1-0.
The MoonDogs would come back in the third inning as Matt Higgins connected for a tape-measure homerun over the right-field wall for a two-run shot, putting Mankato on top 2-1.
That was the only lead the MoonDogs had on the night as the Rox scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Brice Matthews (Nebraska) drove a run home with a single, and then it was Otto Kemp (Point Loma Nazarene) who added two more with a single to the outfield to give the Rox a 4-2 lead.
St. Cloud would score two more with infield hits by Andrew Pinckney (Alabama) and Brice Matthews to make it 6-2 after five.
The bullpen for the Rox held the lead from there as Zach Gagnon (Tarleton State) and Josh Gainer (LIU-Brooklyn) shut out the MoonDogs for the final five innings.
The final game of the regular season series between the MoonDogs and Rox will be on Sunday as the two meet up again at Joe Faber Field for a 4:05 first pitch. Luke Young (Midland College) matches up with Noah Myhre (Minot State) on the mound.
-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.
