MoonDogs Return to Win Column with Offensive Outburst against the Larks
July 3, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Mankato MoonDogs News Release
BISMARCK, N.D. -ÃÂ After dropping the series finale to the St. Cloud Rox on Thursday, the Mankato MoonDogs (22-9) quickly got back on track with an 11-4 win over the Bismarck Larks (18-15) on the road.
Mankato got on the board first in the second inning as the bottom of the order ignited a two-out rally. AfterÃÂ Alex BaezaÃÂ (Hawaii) drew a walk andÃÂ Luke BecksteinÃÂ (Kansas State) singled,ÃÂ Carson YatesÃÂ (UCLA) doubled into the right-field corner to bring both runners home. The very next batter,ÃÂ Josh UrpsÃÂ (Cal-State Fullerton) traded places with him as he came up with a double of his own to make it 3-0.
In the fourth innings, the Moondogs broke the game open. Urps delivered with another RBI base hit.ÃÂ Matt HigginsÃÂ (Bellarmine) followed that up with a two-run double to the corner to make it 6-0, his NWL-best 13thÃÂ two-bagger of the season. And to finish off the inning,ÃÂ Justin BoydÃÂ (Oregon State) launched a tape measure job over the left-field wall for his first home run, driving in two to make it 8-0.
That would be plenty for Mankato starterÃÂ Nolan Pender (Bellarmine) who threw 6.2 innings of shutout baseball with a season-best 9 strikeouts as he went on to earn his third win of the summer. As a result, Pender received league honors as the NWL Pitcher of the Night for his efforts on the hill, Friday.
The Larks came up with a major threat in the eighth inning as they scored four runs, butÃÂ Carson YatesÃÂ (UCLA) struck outÃÂ Kamron WillmanÃÂ (Kansas State) with the bases loaded and the tying run in the on-deck circle to end the threat.
The MoonDogs would add a pair of insurance runs in the ninth for good measure as they locked up their fourth win in five games on the road trip.
Luke YoungÃÂ (Midland College) gets the call on Saturday for Mankato as they look to take the first two games of this four-game series against Bismarck. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.
Northwoods League Stories from July 3, 2021
- Stingers Drop Game 2 in Waterloo - Willmar Stingers
- Rosencranz Steals Home, MoonDogs Steal Win - Bismarck Larks
- Rafters Split Road Series with Dock Spiders - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Berg's Seven Scoreless and Offensive Fireworks Power Growlers to Sweep - Kalamazoo Growlers
- First Sweep of Season Sets up Tie Atop Standings - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Kingfish Fight Back Late and Sweep Traverse City - Kenosha Kingfish
- Honkers Ride Offensive Outburst to Series Split with La Crosse - Rochester Honkers
- Woodchucks Hang on to End Skid - Wausau Woodchucks
- Bombers Split Road Trip with Loss to Kokomo - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Booyah Come from Behind - Green Bay Rockers
- Mallards Comeback Falls Just Short as They Fall 6-5 - Madison Mallards
- Rox Dominate Huskies by Ten to Take Great Plains West Division - Duluth Huskies
- Rox Clinch First-Half Championship with Sweep over Huskies - St. Cloud Rox
- Mallards Look for Sweep, Fourth Straight Win against Woodchucks - Madison Mallards
- Booyah Look to Rebound at Home - Green Bay Rockers
- MoonDogs Return to Win Column with Offensive Outburst against the Larks - Mankato MoonDogs
- Huskies Continue to Show Scissors against the Rox - Duluth Huskies
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