Written by Connor Wachtel

MANKATO, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs defeated the Bismarck Larks, 5-3, in a game of Northwoods League baseball, Saturday night at ISG Field.

 

With the win, the MoonDogs have now won three straight games and stand 27-22 overall with an 8-7 mark in the second-half standings. The loss sets the Larks at 16-33 and 5-10 in the second half.

 

The Larks struck first on one swing of the bat by Luke Glascoe (UC San Diego) that saw the ball out to right for a no-doubt solo home run.

 

Joel Vaske (Southeast Missouri State) scored his first run as a MoonDog to tie the game, 1-1, when he advanced home from third on a base knock to center by Ariel Armas (San Diego) in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Charles McAdoo (San Jose State) scored on a wild pitch to give the MoonDogs a 2-1 lead during the next at bat, lightning was spotted to make way for a 30-minute delay at ISG Field. The MoonDogs tacked one more run to the lead, making it 3-1, when Kai Roberts (Utah) singled to center after the delay.

 

Following a second lightning delay before the start of the seventh, McAdoo clubbed in another pair of runs with a bases-loaded single to center. After the seventh inning, the MoonDogs held a 5-1 advantage.

 

Once the Larks salvaged a pair of runs in the ninth to make it 5-3, Jakob Meyer (Evansville) locked it in on the mound to secure the MoonDogs’ third straight victory.

 

On the mound for the MoonDogs, Mitch Casperson (Gustavus) pitched four innings of four-hit and one-run baseball before having his debut interrupted by the first lightning delay. He recorded a walk and strikeout. In relief, Miles Garrett (Vanderbilt) picked up his first win to improve to 1-1 after pitching the fifth and sixth with three strikeouts. After pitching the seventh inning, Dalton Mesaris (Western Kentucky) clinched his first save of the summer.

 

The MoonDogs rematch the Larks Sunday night at ISG Field for the finale at 5:05 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’ 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.