Battle Creek, Mich. – The Madison Mallards (9-10) used a five hit, six run rally in the top of the ninth to become the first team in the Northwoods League to sweep Battle Creek (13-7) at home.

The rally occurred after the Bombers tied the game 2-2 in the eighth. Nick Vasic (Southern Illinois) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning followed by Alex Howard (Arkansas State) doubling to centerfield. Tom Stoffel (Virginia Tech) racked in his second RBI of the day to tie the game 2-2. Justin Felix (Arkansas State) bounced one back to the pitcher, in which Howard was caught trying to take the lead. Aaron Antonini (Middle Tennessee State) walked to re-load the bases, but Battle Creek struck out to end the inning.

The eighth inning comeback came at a good time where the Battle Creek offense was struggling to produce offense in the middle of the game.  Stoffel’s sac fly RBI in the first inning was Battle Creek’s only run leading up to that point. Madison equalized the score thanks to a single to center, which scored a runner that reached on a Bomber’s error. The run was the first given up by Battle Creek starter Christian Griffin (West Alabama). Griffin threw 4.1 innings, let up six hits and allowed two runs. Griffin struck out a season-high seven batters in his third start.

Madison took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning with runners on second and third with one out. A single by the Mallards scored one run, but reliever Taylor Horn (Wayne State University) came in for Griffin and got out of the fifth.

Bombers relievers Horn, Jake Hawken (University of Portland) and Mark Quinby (UC San Diego) held Madison scoreless in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to set up the offensive comeback. The three relievers combined for one hit, five strikeouts and two double plays.

Though the tie game didn’t startle Madison. The Mallards quickly loaded the bases on three infield singles, and scorched a double to deep right field to clear the bases. Leading 5-2, Madison didn’t let up. Battle Creek committed an error in left field to help put runners on the corners for the Mallards, and a single added another run. The final run for Madison in the ninth was a single to left, which scored the runner who reached on an error.

Battle Creek will enjoy Monday off and return to C.O. Brown Stadium Tuesday morning at 11:05 a.m. in a double header with the Kalamazoo Growlers. After game one, The Bombers will face Kalamazoo later that night at 7:05 at Homer Stryker Field. Fans can catch Neil Doyle and Jake Hromada on the Bombers Radio Network ten minutes before first pitch and can follow along on Twitter @bcbombers.

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The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bombers as your favorite team.