Matheny and Shilling Bolster Pitching Staff
The Madison Mallards have announced the addition of Luke Matheny (Oklahoma State University) and Luke Shilling (University of Illinois) to the 2016 squad.
Matheny, a 6'2", 199-pound right-hander is in his freshman season with 22nd ranked Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are coming off a big win Tuesday against 12th ranked Missouri State, giving them their first win against a ranked opponent this season.
Out of Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, Matheny was a 2015 Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and All-Central Region Second Team. As a senior he went 6-3 with a 1.27 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched. He threw for five complete games in his ten starts. At the plate, Matheny hit .313 with two home runs and 21 RBIs. In 2014, his junior year, Matheny finished with a 6-2 record, 1.88 ERA, and 73 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched. His success earned him 2014 Perfect Game Underclassmen Honorable Mention All-American.
Matheny is becoming a household name for the Mallards, as Luke's older brother Tate played for the Mallards in 2013 when they won the Northwoods League World Series. Tate now plays in the Boston Red Sox organization after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Both Luke and Tate are the sons of former catcher and current St. Louis Cardinals manager, Mike Matheny.
Shilling, a 6'2", 260-pound freshman is a right-hander for the 6-3, Fighting Illini pitching staff. Prior to joining Illinois, Shilling was selected in the 20th round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. At Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, he had a 7-1 record with a 0.72 ERA and 102 strikeouts in his senior year. He was also impressive at the dish, hitting .407 and six home runs.
Shilling's outstanding senior year earned him many accolades. He was named 2015 Perfect Game All-America first team and 2015 NABF All-America first team. He was the 2015 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and selected to the 2015 MHSBCA Dream Team.
The Mallards will host their home opener on Friday, June 3rd when they take on the new Northwoods League affiliate Rockford Rivets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm. Single-game tickets for the 2016 season will go on sale at 9:00 am on Saturday, April 30th.
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The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.MallardsBaseball.com
