August 6, 2024
MANKATO, MN – The St. Cloud Rox (40-25) swept a doubleheader against the Mankato MoonDogs (36-30) by 5-0 and 5-1 scores on Tuesday, August 6th. Barring any schedule changes in the regular season’s final week, the Rox have clinched a position in the Northwoods League postseason. They have also claimed their eighth 40-win season in the last nine full years of Rox baseball.
The Rox outplayed the MoonDogs in every aspect of the doubleheader, beginning with a shutout in game one. Piercen McElyea (Tarleton State University) earned the win as St. Cloud’s starting pitcher, grinding out 4 and ⅔ scoreless innings with three strikeouts. The Rox gave him three runs in the first three innings, as Noah Greise (University of Nebraska Omaha) started the scoring with the first of his two singles. Tyler Bishop (University of Nebraska Omaha) and Ben Higdon (University of Southern Mississippi) each drove in third-inning runs to put the Rox up 3-0.
Additional St. Cloud runs came home in the sixth and seventh innings, as a balk scored the fourth before Jackson Hauge (University of Kansas) delivered number five with a sacrifice fly. That gave Nathan Anderson (Creighton University), the only Rox reliever needed in game one, more than enough cushion to pick up a save. The right-hander held Mankato hitless across 2 and ⅓ innings, ending the game by starting a double play.
The Rox started game two the same way they finished game one: in control. St. Cloud plated five runs in the first inning, as Hauge and Greise each pulled two-run hits. Starting pitcher Phil Brennaman (Youngstown State University) kept the Rox lead steady at 5-1, scattering just one run on one hit in 3 and ⅓ innings. Ryan Rushing (Indiana University) then entered and sniffed out any notion of a Mankato comeback, punching out six in 2 and ⅔ innings. The left-hander struck out the side in the fifth inning, setting up Candon Dahle (Brigham Young University) to close out the game with a scoreless seventh.
Today’s All-Star Trophy and Awards Stars of the Games are Piercen McElyea and Ryan Rushing!
The Rox will return home to begin a four-game series against the Willmar Stingers at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, August 7th. Wednesday’s game will feature a team poster schedule giveaway to all fans, presented by Rengel Printing Company. The Rox will also play home games against Willmar at 7:05 p.m. on Friday and at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday to wrap up their regular-season home schedule. For a complete game & promotional schedule, ticket information, and everything Rox, please visit www.stcloudrox.com!
The 2024 season is presented by Morrie’s Auto Group.
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