A great day for your MoonDogs with 2 wins on the road against the Badlands!
Game 1 started off with the MoonDogs scoring first in the second on an RBI double from Jake Duer (TCU) driving in Coltin Quagliano (Illinois) to give Mankato a 1 run lead.
This lead would be squashed immediately however with Badlands scoring a quick run in the bottom of the second to tie it up.
Mankato’s Rylen Bayne (Hawaii) would get the start on the mound throwing 4 ⅓ good innings allowing 3 runs with 5 K’s.
Badlands would score 2 in the 5th to make it a 4-2 ballgame in favor of the Big Sticks.
The real story of the game however was Mankato’s first relief arm in Tanner Shumski ( MSU – Mankato).
Shumski would come into the game in the 5th recording 1 ⅓ innings allowing a run but slowing down Badlands enough to keep this game within reach.
Then came the 6th, where Mankato showed why even with a slow second half start, they are a force to be reckoned with in the Great Plains West.
After 2 quick outs for Badlands, Duer would get on base with a single, and quickly made his way to second on a throwing error. Casey Sorg (Bellarmine) would come up to the plate next and rip an RBI single into left center scoring Duer and bringing Mankato within 1 run.
Riley Jackson (FSU) would then crush a moonshot over the left field wall bringing in Sorg and giving your MoonDogs a 5-4 lead on a great 2 out rally!
Grant Garza (Tarleton State) came in to close out the game for Mankato doing his usual and getting the save making it his 6th on the season.
Game two started shortly after.
The MoonDogs with a second game win against the Big Sticks, winning 5-1!
Dylan Waite (University of Hawaii) got the start on the mound for the MoonDogs. Waite would record 5.2 innings pitched, 81 pitches, and 3 strikeouts!
The MoonDogs would start howling and bring in 2 runs in the first inning! Brody Delamielleure (Florida State University) would get walked to reach base. Coleman Mizell (University of Alabama) would hit a home run to follow the Delamielleure walk, to bring them both in to touch home plate!
The MoonDogs runs would not stop there! As they proceed to record another run in the second inning. Cooper Neville (Grand Canyon University) would steal second, which brought Ben Robichaux (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in to score!
The third inning for the MoonDogs and 2 runs will follow the last 3! Bases were loaded with Zach Stroh (Minnesota State University- Mankato) up to bat, hit by pitch, and brought in Matthew Fleischhacker (Minnesota State University- Mankato). Robichaux would hit a sac fly, and allow Jake Duer (Texas Christian University) to record a MoonDog run! This inning made the contest, 5-0 MoonDogs.
Tyler Vargas (Sac City) would be the MoonDogs only relief arm. He would record 1.1 innings pitched with 2 strikeouts.
The Big Sticks record 1 run in the top of the sixth.
Mankato will be back in action tomorrow morning versus the Big Sticks, at 11:05 am!
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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