MANKATO — Camden Bates worked a 1-2 count with two runners on in the bottom of the fourth on a cloudless night at ISG Field.
The next pitch he saw was never seen in the field of play again. Bates blasted the pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run.
The Mankato MoonDogs lead, at that point, ballooned to 9-0. Excitement filled the air, mixed with the scent of hot dogs and deep-fried pickle fries.
It was one of the biggest highlights in the MoonDogs’ 16-0 season opening win over the Willmar Stingers Monday.
“It’s good to get out here and get the guys out rolling again,” MoonDogs’ skipper Danny Kneeland said. “Nice to get the first one out of the way. The guys came with a lot of good energy the last couple of days.”
Mankato didn’t take long to strike. With the bases loaded and one out Liam Ebbs came up to bat. This began a series of unfortunate events for the Stingers.
The MoonDogs struck for a run off a bases-loaded ball, a run off a Stingers error when no one could cleanly field a ground ball hit toward first base. Another MoonDogs run scored when a throw by Stingers shortstop Kyle Panganiban sailed to the right of first baseman Cody Ferrante for their second error of the game. Mankato’s lead ballooned to 4-0 off an RBI groundout from Max Charles for the frame’s second out.
The MoonDogs loaded the bases with one out in the second inning. Once again, the home team poured on more runs.
Jacob Neutz drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch and Liam Ebbs rifled a single up the gut to drive in a run for a 6-0 advantage.
Stingers righty Logan Freche lasted one inning, tagged for six runs (five earned) off three hits and a walk with a pair of punch outs. The MoonDogs added a run in the fifth and sixth innings, three in the seventh and two in the eighth to cement the win.
Sam Stockman, a returning All-Star, earned the win for Mankato. The St. Thomas product allowed six hits and three walks with five strikeouts across six shutout innings.
“He was an all-star last year for us for a reason,” Kneeland said of Stockman. “I felt pretty comfortable running that guy out there to start the year. He just does such a good job mixing pitches. Glad to have him back on our set again this year.”
Carson Schmidt finished 3 for 4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Neutz went 2 for 3 and scored twice. Ebbs was 3 for 4 with a two-run home run, five RBIs and three runs scored. Bates drove in four runs.
Wade Thewes, Nick Johnson and Ryan Digler combined to walk one and strikeout six across three shutout innings of relief.
The MoonDogs and Stingers square off again at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at ISG Field.