Written by Connor Wachtel
MANKATO, Minn. – Three members of the Mankato MoonDogs baseball team, including outfielder Sean Ross (Indiana State), right-handed closer Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State) and infielder Boston Merila (Minnesota), were named to the Northwoods League Great Plains All-Star Team, Friday morning.
For the second season in a row, the MoonDogs will have a trio of players competing in the Northwoods League’s mid-summer classic. This season, the NWL All-Star Game is slated for Tuesday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. (CST) at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Ross, a native of San Diego, Calif., has seen action in 32 games with the MoonDogs and leads the team in batting average (.405), home runs (five) and RBI (33).
Out of the pen for Mankato, Neighbors, who hails from Royse City, Texas, has served as the MoonDogs’ closer and leads the team with seven saves and has yet to allow an earned run in 14 innings pitched in 13 appearances this summer.
Merila, out of St. Michael, Minn., ranks third on the team with a .349 batting average and .465 on-base percentage. The product of the University of Minnesota has seen action on the diamond in 23 games this season.
For a link to the NWL All-Star rosters, click HERE.
Hosting the Minnesota Mud Puppies (6-13), the MoonDogs (19-17) are back in action tonight to open a three-game homestand and looking to snap a three-game slide. Donovan Schultz (Evansville) is listed as the MoonDogs’ probable starter for Friday night’s 6:35 p.m. contest at ISG Field.
-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’ 28th 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.
