By: Connor Wachtel

DULUTH, Minn. – Mother Nature left its’ mark on the Mankato MoonDogs (36-16) 3-2 victory over the Duluth Huskies (20-31), Monday at Wade Stadium. 

 

After an hour-long stoppage put a halt to the contest in the fifth inning with the MoonDogs leading 2-1, the game was delayed again by inclement weather in the bottom of the seventh. Unable to be resumed due to time constraints, the game was called with the MoonDogs winning 3-2. With the victory, Mankato remains two games behind St. Cloud in the Great Plains West divisional standings. 

 

Will Hanafan (Creighton) had a big evening for the MoonDogs with the bat. The senior outfield sported a 2-for-3 line with an RBI single in the second inning and a run scored, which put the MoonDogs up 3-1 in the fifth frame. 

 

In the hits department, both sides had seven knocks. Mankato came down with the game’s only error which resulted in one unearned run for Duluth. 

 

After Mankato’s starting arm, Blake Reilly (Grand Canyon) pitched four innings and into the first rain delay, Kolby Gartner (St. Thomas) took over after the break to get the win. Reilly was hit off four times for one run, walked four and struck out two before Gartner allowed three hits, one unearned run and walked and struck out one to move to a 3-2 record this summer. 

 

The MoonDogs and Huskies rematch at Wade Stadium Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. John Lundgren (North Alabama) is the presumed starter for the MoonDogs with Zach Statzer (San Joaquin Delta College) slated to pitch for the Huskies. 

 

-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.