Sellout Crowd at MoonDog Opener
By Joe Steck – Mankato Times
(L to R) Michaela and Bella have a wonderful father who brought them from Fredericksburg Iowa to the game. “The MoonDogs is Bella’s favorite team.”
MANKATO, MINN. — The Mankato MoonDogs opened up their 2015 season Wednesday night in front of 1,412 adoring fans as the hometown team played host to the Rochester Honkers at Franklin Rogers Field (aka the Frank) in Mankato. Rochester won the game 2-0.
Jeri Mondloch was one of the many fans to get their photo with Jacque Jones.
The home opener was filled with little nuggets of excitement with former Minnesota Twin Jacque Jones signing autographs and throwing out the first pitch. The Mankato River Blenders sang the National Anthem and Special Olympic Athlete Melanie earned the honor of being the LEEP player of the game. The evening was capped off with a brilliant fireworks display that light up the sky over the Frank.
Special Olympian athletes with Muttnik (L to R) – Leep athlete of the game Melanie, Heather and Debbie.
Sue Nelson was brilliant playing organ music during the game. The fleet fingered maestro loves playing for the MoonDogs stating “I am not here to entertain; I am here to get people involved.”
“I am the team’s cheerleader and want people to put their hands together” Sue Nelson
Nelson has been playing organ for the Minnesota Twins since 1999, the year Jacque Jones broke into the majors.
Hot 96.7’s Stunt Monkey aka Jeff Lang was selling beer in the stands.
Both teams’ bats were kept at bay with neither team scoring until the eight inning when Tyler Feyereisen of the Honkers walked and was moved around the bases before scoring on a William Paschal single. The Honkers added an insurance run in the ninth when Brad Mathiowetz laced a hard double and eventually scored to give Rochester a 2-0 victory.
The Mankato Riverblenders started the season off right with the National Anthem.
Austin Warner, a junior at Bellarmine University, Kentucky, was brilliant on the mound for the MoonDogs working five complete innings. The 5’10” left hander gave up three hits and mowed down 10 Honkers and walked only 1.
Reece Eddins, a 6’5” right hander hit the mound in the sixth inning for the MoonDogs. The Nebraska Cornhusker freshman threw three innings giving up one run off two hits while walking two. Eddins took the loss for the MoonDogs.
1,412 fans came out to watch the MoonDogs in their 2015 Home Opener.
Grant Hamilton (Oklahoma City University) pitched the ninth for the home team giving up a run off two hits while striking out two.
Jack Flansburg (Cypress CC) led the MoonDogs offensively with two hits, while Kevin Hall (North Alabama) and Brinn Bell (St. Ambrose) each recorded one hit.
Jayson Yano went 7.2 innings with five strikeouts and only allowed two hits for the Honkers. Spencer Greer combined with Yano to shutout the MoonDogs. Yano gets the win, Eddins takes the loss and Greer picks up the save.
After the game the fans were treated to a firework display.
The MoonDogs will hit the road traveling to Waterloo and Alexandria and will return to The Frank on Monday, June 1 as they take on the Willmar Stingers. Tickets are still available online, over the phone at (507) 625-7047, or in the office located at 1221 Caledonia Street.
