A game one win for your MoonDogs guaranteeing an automatic series win vs Badlands, winning 6-4!
Pitching was the story all game in game one, Joe Skapinetz (Lafayette College) got the start throwing very well. He recorded 5 great innings of work only allowing 1 run while striking out 6 Big Stick batters.
The Dogs offense started out the game strong with a run in the first inning drove in on a sac fly from Coleman Mizell (Alabama).
Mizell would continue his hot series in the 4th driving in the next run of the contest in yet another blast giving Mankato a 2 run lead.
Badlands would return the favor in the 5th scoring a run of their own but were quickly put back to a 2 run deficit in the 6th on a leadoff double from Brody Delamielleure (Florida State) and a sac fly from Gabe Miranda (TCU).
The 7th is where the MoonDogs really built their lead.
Cooper Neville (GCU) and Mizell would both have RBI’s this inning and Mankato would score 3 runs making it a 6-1 contest late in the game.
Things would get a bit hairy in the 9th with the Big Sticks driving in 2 runs to make it once again a 2 run game but ultimately Grant Garza (Tarleton State), old reliable, would come in to close it out giving your MoonDogs their first .500 record of the second half.
The MoonDogs ended up splitting the double-header today with the Big Sticks, losing game 2, 11-2.
Elias Hachem (University of Evansville) will start on the bump today for the MoonDogs. Hachem would record 0.2 innings pitched, 46 pitches, and 2 strikeouts.
In the first inning, Nick Hentges (Gustavus Adolphus College) would be an early relief arm. Hentges would record 3.1 innings pitched, 62 pitches, and 2 strikeouts.
The MoonDogs would struggle to get the bat to the ball in game 2. They would remain scoreless through the eighth inning of work, and leave runners on base in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Aiden McGee (Minnesota State University- Mankato) would visit the mound tonight. McGee would record 4 innings pitched, 67 pitches, and 3 strikeouts.
The Big Sticks would record 11 runs tonight scoring in the first, second, fourth, and sixth innings.
The ninth inning is where the MoonDogs would get on the scoreboard. Brody Delamielleure (Florida State University) would hit a single, and bring in Ben Robichaux (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and Coltin Quagliano (University of Illinois)! Delamielleure would finish his night with 4 at-bats, 2 hits, and 2 RBIs.
The MoonDogs will be back in action tomorrow in their final game versus the Big Sticks this series, at 7:35 pm.
###
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 350 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 two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play