Pender Deals in Final Outing, MoonDogs Upend Honkers 6-4 at ISG Field
August 13, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Mankato MoonDogs News Release
MANKATO, Minn. -ÃÂ The Mankato MoonDogs (44-23) snapped a two-game losing streak at home with a 6-4 victory over the Rochester Honkers (29-36), Friday night at ISG Field.ÃÂ
On their second at-bat of the evening, the MoonDogs grabbed the game's first lead thanks toÃÂ Will HanafanÃÂ (Nebraska Omaha) hustling out of the box to turn a should-be single to right into a double. After he stole third a few pitches later, Hanafan scored on an RBI groundout to the shortstop hit byÃÂ Jack CostelloÃÂ (San Diego).ÃÂ Carson YatesÃÂ (UCLA) singled to left later in the inning to give the MoonDogs a 2-0 lead over the Honkers.
In the second inning,ÃÂ Luke BecksteinÃÂ (Northeastern) provided a single that scored a pair and doubled up the MoonDogs' lead to 4-0.
The MoonDogs continued their trend of two runs per inning in the third whenÃÂ Austin GarrettÃÂ (Kansas State) hit a sacrifice fly to score one before Hanafan singled to left to plate another. After three innings at ISG Field, the MoonDogs led the Honkers 6-0.
After the Honkers got one run back in the sixth,ÃÂ Ike MezzengaÃÂ (North Iowa Area CC) launched a three-run home run out to left to cut the lead to two, 6-4.
In the ninth inning,ÃÂ Dalton MesarisÃÂ (Western Kentucky) entered the game to pitch and locked it down for his second save of the summer. Ultimately, the MoonDogs upended the Honkers for a 6-4 win at ISG Field.ÃÂ
In the ballgame, the host MoonDogs outhit the Honkers, 11-7. Mankato battled defensive miscues most of the night with four errors while Rochester finished the night with no mishaps defensively.
Earning the win in his final outing with the MoonDogs was right-handed starting pitcherÃÂ Nolan PenderÃÂ (Bellarmine). Pender wrapped up his second campaign with the MoonDogs on a winning note to finish the season sporting an 8-2 record. In his ninth and final start of the season, Pender threw six innings of one-run (unearned) baseball while allowing five hits, two walks and striking out eight along the way.
The loss went to Rochester'sÃÂ Shane MartinÃÂ (Northwest Nazarene) after he went two and two and two-thirds of an inning in Friday's contest. Martin gave up 10 hits for six runs while working into the third inning. He walked two and struck out two others along the way en route to falling to a 1-3 record in 2021.
Saturday marks the conclusion of the 2021 Northwoods League regular season. The MoonDogs rematch the Honkers in their finale at ISG Field, which is slated to begin at 6:35 p.m.
Northwoods League Stories from August 13, 2021
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- Stingers End Express' Playoff Hopes with 17-2 Win - Willmar Stingers
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- Rox Shut out Mud Puppies, Win 50 Games for First Time in Franchise History - St. Cloud Rox
- Booyah Fall to Chinooks at Home - Green Bay Rockers
- Rivets Knock Around Kingfish for 15-5 Win - Rockford Rivets
- Pender Deals in Final Outing, MoonDogs Upend Honkers 6-4 at ISG Field - Mankato MoonDogs
- Mallards Dominate Fondy 11-1, Set up Elimination Game Tomorrow - Madison Mallards
- Woodchucks Fall in Regular Season Home Finale - Wausau Woodchucks
- Patterson, Defense, Lead to 7-4 Win over Traverse City - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
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- Logan Lee Named to Postseason All-Star Team - Green Bay Rockers
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- Former Thunder Bay Border Cat Jacob Robson Debuts with the Tigers - Northwoods
- Northwoods League Announces 2021 Postseason All-Star Team. Adam Wheaton Makes Team - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Simpson Named NWL Co-MVP, Loftin Selected to Postseason All-Star Team - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Northwoods League Announces 2021 Postseason All-Star Team - Northwoods
- Former Thunder Bay Border Cat Debuts with Detroit Tigers - Thunder Bay Border Cats
- Long Ball Pushes Huskies to Sweep - Duluth Huskies
- Woodchucks Lose Extra-Inning Thriller - Wausau Woodchucks
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