By: Connor Wachtel

MANKATO, Minn. – Superb pitching and one errant pitch allowed the Mankato MoonDogs (38-19) to secure a gaudy, 1-0, shutout victory over the Minnesota Mud Puppies (6-24), Wednesday at ISG Field. 

 

The MoonDogs scored the game’s only run Wednesday en route to a 1-0 victory at ISG Field after Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon) crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the seventh inning. 

 

Despite being outhit, 7-3, the MoonDogs prevailed with the one-run win to move to a 23-7 record at home in 2021. 

 

The MoonDogs pitching staff walked out of Wednesday’s contest unscathed, allowing no runs on the way to the shutout victory which featured three different arms working on the hill. Earning the win was MoonDogs’ starting arm Blake Reilly (Grand Canyon) to move to a 2-1 record. Blake Reilly pitched seven shutout innings while allowing five hits, he walked one and struck out two. In relief, Nate Kujawski (Sierra College) made his MoonDogs debut by pitching a shutout eighth inning where he walked two. Vince Reilly (Grand Canyon) locked up his sixth save of the summer in the ninth. His line dawned just a pair of hits. 

 

 

For the Mud Puppies, Nathan Brandecker (Saint John’s University) went the distance in Wednesday’s contest before falling to a 1-2 record. He allowed three hits and one run in nine innings while also walking and striking out two along the way. 

 

Up next, the Mankato MoonDogs hit the road Thursday and Friday to take on the Waterloo Bucks (35-23) at Riverfront Stadium. Both games are scheduled for 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.