Written by Connor Wachtel

MANKATO, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Minnesota Mud Puppies, Friday night at ISG Field.

 

The win, which was the first of MoonDogs’ Field Manager Danny Kneeland’s young career, marked the MoonDogs’ first victory in the second half to improve to 1-2, they now stand 20-17 overall. The Mud Puppies are now 0-3 in the second half and own a 6-14 overall mark this season.

 

Ninth-inning heroics for the MoonDogs saw Charles McAdoo (San Jose State) lead off the inning with a three-base knock to right-center before he later scored on a high chopper to short by Angelo Peraza (San Diego) for the walk-off winner at ISG Field.

 

 

After being named a Northwoods League Great Plains All-Star, Friday morning, Sean Ross (Indiana State) opened the scoring during the third inning when he singled to right to score Orlando Salinas (Kansas State). After the Mud Puppies stranded the bases loaded to avoid further damage, the MoonDogs led 1-0 after three innings in the Key City.

 

In the bottom of the sixth, Derek Shoen (UMary) led off the inning with a triple and later scored on an RBI single through the left side by Brendan Hord (Evansville). After six innings in Mankato, the MoonDogs led the Mud Puppies, 2-0.

 

Both sides picked up a run in the eighth. After the Mud Puppies made their way into the score column for the first time, Ross launched a no-doubt solo home run over the fence in left to make it 3-1.

 

Minnesota tied the game, 3-3, in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Jackson Hauge (Minnesota State – Mankato) and a single by Noah Dehne (North Dakota State), which made way for Peraza’s game-winning single to score McAdoo during the bottom half. The MoonDogs ultimately walked off the Mud Puppies, 4-3, to snap a three-game skid at ISG Field, Friday night.

 

Donovan Schultz (Evansville) was dealing for the MoonDogs on Friday night and didn’t surrender a hit until the fifth frame. He finished the night with 6.2 innings pitched and shutout the Mud Puppies while holding them to just a pair of hits with two walks and seven strikeouts along the way. Picking up the win following his first blown save of the summer was Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State). Neighbors now stands 1-1 on the season after surrendering his first earned runs of the season.

 

The MoonDogs and Mud Puppies rematch in the series finale, Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. Corey Sanchez (San Jose State) is listed as the probable arm to start on the bump for Mankato.

 

-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’ 28^th 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 280 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist 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 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. 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.