Written by: Connor Wachtel
MANKATO, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs suffered their first loss of the season, 12-3, to the Waterloo Bucks during a Northwoods League baseball game played at ISG Field, Wednesday night.
With the loss, the MoonDogs fall to 2-1 three games into the 2022 campaign while the Bucks picked up their first win to improve to 1-2 on the season.
Outfielder Sean Ross (Indiana State) put the MoonDogs in the score column first in Wednesday’s contest when he chopped a groundout to third that allowed Luke Napleton (Quincy) to score and make it 1-0 after one inning of play. Unfortunately for the hometown MoonDogs, the Bucks took the reins from there and ran away with the game.
The visiting Bucks squared the game up, 1-1, in the top half of the second inning. After Kaleb Knox doubled to right-center to move himself and Jake Martinez into scoring position, Brodie Kresser grounded out to second to plate Martinez and tie the game. After two innings at ISG Field, both sides were tied 1-1.
In the third inning, Alec Patino roped a solo home run to right-center that forced the MoonDogs to face their first deficit of the season. The MoonDogs trailed the Bucks, 2-1, after the third inning.
Waterloo ran away with the ballgame in the top of the sixth inning by scoring six runs with two hits in an inning that featured five walks drawn by Bucks’ batters. After the Bucks scored one more run in the seventh, they carried a 9-1 advantage.
The MoonDogs mounted a rally in the eighth to score a pair of runs, but it was not enough as Mankato ultimately fell to Waterloo in Wednesday’s contest by a final score of 12-3 after Waterloo scored three more runs in the ninth without any answer from Mankato.
Picking up the win for Waterloo was right-handed relief arm Cael Boehmer (Wartburg College), who now stands 1-0 on the season. Boehmer pitched three shutout innings with two hits against in relief of southpaw starting pitcher Jalen Martinez (Iowa Central CC). Martinez pitched a pair of innings where he surrendered one hit and one run.
Handed the loss after making his first start and second appearance of the season was right-handed pitcher Simon Gregersen (Des Moines Area CC). Gregersen, now 0-1 on the summer, pitched five complete innings of two-run baseball with eight hits against. He struck out seven batters along the way.
Mankato was outhit, 11-7, by Waterloo in Wednesday’s affair. Both sides had one error.
The MoonDogs rematch the Bucks Thursday night at ISG Field at 6:35 p.m. for the two-game series finale to conclude Mankato’s homestand.
-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.