By: Connor Wachtel

MANKATO, Minn. – Coming off a two-day break, The Mankato MoonDogs (37-19) lacked offense en route to dropping just their seventh home game of the summer, 4-1 to the Minnesota Mud Puppies (6-23), Monday at ISG Field. 

 

After the Mud Puppies scored three runs in the first and another in the second frame, the MoonDogs entered the score column in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to an RBI single by Luke Beckstein (Northeastern) that drove in Jack Costello (San Diego). 

 

Unfortunately for the MoonDogs, scoring concluded after that sixth inning as Mankato dropped its first contest to the Mud Puppies of the 2021 season, 4-1. 

 

In the hits department, Minnesota outnumbered Mankato, 9-6. Each side had one error in the contest. The Mud Puppies had 10 runners stranded while Mankato left eight on base. 

 

Earning the win on the hill was right-handed pitcher Bryce Crabb (Northwestern – St. Paul) to move to a 2-1 record on the season. Crabb worked 5.1 innings allowing just one run on five hits. He walked three and struck out four. In relief, Reed Butz (Valley City State) went the distance, pitching the final 3.2 innings of work, for his first save of the summer. 

 

MoonDogs starting pitcher, Nolan Pender (Bellarmine), came down with the loss to fall to a 6-2 record in the 2021 campaign. In the opening inning, Pender hit the league’s pitch limit while surrendering three runs on three hits. He walked a pair and struck out one along the way to conclude his one inning on the hill. 

 

Tuesday marks another day off for the MoonDogs prior to the conclusion of the two-game series with the Mud Puppies at ISG Field, Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. However, for MoonDogs’ outfielder Justin Boyd (Oregon State) and shortstop Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) it marks a trip to Copeland Park in La Crosse, Wis., to take part in the Northwoods League Major League Dreams Showcase. 

 

-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.