By: Riley Klaus

July 26, 2026

ST. CLOUD, MN – The St. Cloud Rox (35-23) fell just short to the Mankato MoonDogs (26-31) 16-12 in extra innings on Sunday, and will aim to split the series when they return to Joe Faber Field at 6:35 PM on Monday.

The Rox trailed by six out of the gate, but continuously clawed back by scoring in each of the first seven innings of the game.

In the bottom of the first, Colton Rother (University of Kansas) sparked the offense with a double for his first hit of the game. Jaixen Frost (University of Iowa) brought in a run on a sacrifice fly before Brett Griffiths (Ball State University) stepped up to the plate. Griffiths launched the ball over the left field wall for his first home run of the season and brought home Rother as well.

Rother laced a single in the bottom of the second to send in another run, and the Rox added one more in the bottom of the third to pull the game within one at a 6-5 deficit. Rother kept a hot bat, driving in another two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Additionally, a Northwoods League record was broken in the fourth inning. Tanner Recchio (University of Minnesota) stole second base to reach 252 stolen bases as a team this season, surpassing the previous record of 251 in a single season.

Owen Estabrook (Columbia University) picked up his third hit of the game in the fifth inning, and another two scored in the sixth to keep pace with Mankato.

Trailing by two in the seventh, Rother delivered his fifth hit of the day for a two-run single to even up the matchup at twelve apiece. Rother tied a Rox single-game record by recording five hits in the game.

Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, bringing the game to the tenth. The MoonDogs scored four in the top half of the inning, and the Rox rally was cut short in the bottom of the tenth.

St. Cloud will look to split the series against the MoonDogs on Monday at 6:35 PM at Joe Faber Field.

The All-Star Trophy and Awards Star of the Game is Colton Rother.

The next Rox home game is Monday, July 27, at 6:35 PM for another matchup with the MoonDogs, presented by Blaze Credit Union. It will be Team Baseball Card Set Night for the first 500 fans at Joe Faber Field. All players will have their own baseball card for fans to collect. Get a baseball card of a future major league star!

The 2026 season is presented by Eide Chrysler St. Cloud.