By: Connor Wachtel

ST. CLOUD, Minn. –After surrendering a seven-run lead, the Mankato MoonDogs (35-16) scored five unanswered runs in the final three innings to upend the St. Cloud Rox (37-13) 12-7, Sunday night at Joe Faber Field. 

 

The MoonDogs hit the ground running on Sunday night en route to a split of the two-game series with the 12-7 win. Four runs in the first and three in the second gave the MoonDogs an early lead before the Rox tied the game 7-7 with a surge in the fourth inning. Mankato reclaimed the lead with three runs in the seventh before scoring one in the eighth and ninth innings.

 

Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) had a big night for the MoonDogs, sporting a 2-for-5 line with a pair of extra-base hits including his second home run of the summer which was a three-run shot to left in the third to add insurance to Mankato’s lead. 

 

The MoonDogs came out on top in the hits battle, 12-8. Troubled by errors early, the Rox had three defensive miscues in the contest which led to three unearned runs. The MoonDogs were unblemished during their efforts in the field. 

 

Mankato’s winning pitcher was right-handed relief arm Caleb Heuertz (Midland College) in his return to the MoonDogs’ pitching staff for the first time in over a month. Heuertz’s first win moved him to 1-0 in 2021 after he pitched 2.1 shutout innings allowing no hits while walking one and retiring three on strikes. 

 

Now trailing the St. Cloud Rox by just a pair of games in the Great Plains West division standings, the Mankato MoonDogs make their way to Wade Stadium in Duluth, Minnesota, for a two-game stint with the Duluth Huskies (20-30), Monday at 6:35 p.m. 

 

-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.