Mankato Moon Dogs Defeat St. Cloud Rox in Home Game

MANKATO, MN – The Mankato MoonDogs secured a decisive 16-10 victory over the St. Cloud Rox on friday night at franklin Rogers Park, fueled by a dominant offensive performance including two home runs from outfielder Ben Jennings. The win positions the MoonDogs favorably heading into the final game of the regular season.

Mankato jumped out to an early lead with a grand slam in the first inning, extending it to 10-7 by the end of the sixth. St. Cloud narrowed the gap with a run in the bottom of the sixth,but Mankato responded emphatically in the top of the seventh. Jennings launched his second home run of the game – a three-run shot – bringing the MoonDogs’ lead to 13-8. Jennings,a sophomore from Augustana University,finished the night 3-for-5 with 6 RBIs.

The teams exchanged two runs each in the eighth inning, and Mankato added an insurance run in the ninth, finalizing the score at 16-10. MoonDogs starting pitcher, CJ Hood (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), pitched five innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs, earning the win. St. Cloud reliever, Luke Anderson (North Dakota State University), took the loss.

The MoonDogs and Rox will conclude their regular season series with a rematch on Saturday night in Mankato. Following the Saturday contest, the Rox will travel home to Sioux Falls to begin their Northwoods League playoff run as the top seed in the grate Plains Division. Mankato, currently second in the division, will need a win Saturday and some help from other results to secure a playoff berth. Franklin Rogers Park has a seating capacity of approximately 2,500 spectators.

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