MANKATO — Fireworks illuminated the dark Mankato evening sky. Fans were left in awe, players and coaches of the MoonDogs couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Yes, Saturday was the conclusion of the 2025 Northwoods League regular season. The MoonDogs won their finale 10-1 over the St. Cloud Rox, which clinched a postseason berth by winning the Great Plains West division in the first half.
But the second half division title was won by Mankato. And for the first time since 2021, the MoonDogs are in the postseason.
“It means a lot,” MoonDogs’ skipper Danny Kneeland said of the postseason berth. “I’m super happy for the organization. All the credit goes to the guys for putting in the work and getting this thing done.”
Their opponent is none other than the Rox. Mankato took the regular season series 7-5 and emerged victorious in the last five matchups.
But the regular season is the regular season. Playoff baseball is a different beast.
“Offensively, there’s a lot of talent up and down the lineup, even in the first half when we’re struggling,” Kneeland said. “These guys just work every single day, and they take their approach really seriously.”
The MoonDogs and Rox begin a best-of-three series Sunday, and fortunately neither team will travel far. Game 1 of the series is set for 5:05 p.m. Sunday at ISG Field.
Game 2 will be in St. Cloud at 6:35 p.m. Monday. Game 3, if required, will stay in St. Cloud at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday.
The MoonDogs and Rox concluded a two-game series on Saturday. If push comes to shove between these two, it will be five games in five days.
“Job’s not finished,” MoonDogs’ hitter Tony Lira said. “We have plenty more to do, and we look forward to this. Especially after all the adversity we came through this season and all the guys that came to help out.
After both teams used a combined nine pitchers in a 16-10 game which saw ERA’s blow up like a balloon at a carnival, both teams desperately needed their respective starting pitchers to go deep into Saturday’s showdown.
And early on, the duel between Rox righty Peircen McEylea and MoonDogs righty Daniel Quintero appeared to give both teams the opportunity to save their bullpens from doing work.
Both gave up runs in the first. Quintero surrendered an RBI double from Tyson LeBlanc. McEylea coughed up an RBI poke to Lira.
Then Lira, who plays collegiately at the University of Arizona, added another RBI single in the third, advancing to second on the unsuccessful throw to third. His second RBI knock off McEylea gave the MoonDogs not only a 2-1, but a crucial lead for Quintero.
He mowed through the Rox in the top half of the fourth. Then the bottom half of the fourth spelled trouble for St. Cloud.
A two-run single from Bryant Viskovich and an RBI infield single from Collin Jennings opened the lead to 5-1 with one out in the bottom half of the fourth.
Then Lira came up to bat for the third time.
He cranked a 2-0 pitch deep to left field. The MoonDogs faithful rose from their seats and held their breath as the ball violently launched off his bat.
It wound up being a fly out to the deepest portion of the warning track in left field, but it was deep enough to score Miken Miller from third.
Lira didn’t produce his third hit of the game. But he did produce his fourth RBI to give the MoonDogs a 6-1 lead after four innings.
“The first half (of the season) I wasn’t so great, but it all clicks as long as you stick to playing, and that’s what I did,” Lira said. “In the second half (of the season) I became more of a team player and just tried to produce for this team, to produce for this town. It means something bigger than baseball to this clubhouse.”
Mankato added four runs in the fourth off a dropped fly ball in right with the bases loaded, an RBI groundout from Lira and a two-run double from Preston Freeman for a 10-1 lead.
McEylea’s day ended after the double. He was tagged with 10 earned runs off nine hits and five walks while striking out two across 5 1/3 innings.
Quintero’s day ended after seven innings. He wasn’t perfect, allowing five hits and two walks. But he was efficient, striking out four while tossing six scoreless innings after LeBlanc’s double, firing 97 pitches on the night.
“Super proud of Daniel,” Kneeland said. “He’s been around for a couple of weeks. He’s kind of been waiting for his turn. He got his chance tonight, and he did well with it.”