Wade Wass hit a two-run home run with one out in the top of the ninth inning as the Duluth Huskies rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Mankato MoonDogs in Northwoods League baseball on Tuesday night before 1,623 at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, Minn.
The win keeps the Huskies 2½ games behind Willmar (19-11) in the North Division second-half standings after the Stingers downed Alexandria 5-3 on Tuesday. The regular season concludes Sunday.
League batting leader James Ramsay, Connor Joe and Brian Hansen had two hits apiece for Duluth (17-14), while catcher Audie Afenir had a hit and RBI to lead Mankato (11-19).
Northwoods League All-Star Joey Novak pitched an outstanding game for Duluth, striking out 10 in six innings and allowing just one earned run. Nate Garza and Dylan Vogt (2-0) combined for three shutout innings in relief for the Huskies.
Novak, of Harvard, had extended time off between starts after the sudden passing of longtime Crimson head baseball coach Joe Walsh on July 31 of an apparent heart attack. Walsh was 58.
ADVERTISEMENT
Duluth begins a three-game series at Thunder Bay starting at 6:05 p.m. today before returning home for a two-game series at Wade Stadium against Alexandria to close it out.
