FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (17-15) take their final road trip of the first half as they head to Warner Park to take on the Madison Mallards (18-16). First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m., with coverage starting at 4:50 on the Dock Spiders Radio Network.

TODAY’S STORYLINES

A TABLE FOR TWO, PLEASE: After splitting the first six games of the season series, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and Madison Mallards meet for the start of a home-and-home series to finish the first half. Both teams have alternated wins and losses, with neither team winning two straight games. The Dock Spiders come into the series off a two-game sweep of the Kokomo Jackrabbits. The Mallards enter today on a four game win streak, outscoring opponents 33-17 over that span.

THE OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: For the third straight night, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders scored at least seven runs in an 11-1 win over the Kokomo Jackrabbits on Saturday night at Herr-Baker Field. RHP Stephen Schissler tossed five shutout innings on the mound while the Dock Spiders offense tallied two triples and four extra-base hits. The Dock Spiders scored five runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, which included a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple from OF Kyte McDonald. The win also clinched the first series sweep for the Dock Spiders.

SEE BALL, HIT BALL (AND HIT IT HARD): On Saturday night, OF Evan Smith smashed a 102 MPH double to the wall in right-center, the hardest hit ball by a Dock Spider this year. It was the second time Smith had hit a ball with an exit velocity of at least 100 MPH after smashing a ball at 100 MPH on June 4, 2022 against the Madison Mallards. 1B Grant Hussey has the highest average exit velocity out of all Dock Spiders hitters at 85 MPH. 33% of Hussey’s batted balls have recorded an exit velocity of at least 95 MPH. 

THE CARROT ON TOP: In two games against the Jackrabbits, the Dock Spiders scored 19 runs, the most they’ve scored across two games against the same team since they scored 21 against the Wausau Woodchucks between May 30 and May 31. They scored multiple runs in four innings, and tallied 10 extra-base hits. On the pitching side, the Dock Spiders allowed three earned runs and struck out 23 batters.

BRING OUT THE DUCK CALL: In six games against the Madison Mallards, the Dock Spiders have scored 36 runs, an average of six runs per game. OF Nick Mitchell (6-13) and OF Evan Smith (5-16) are both hitting above .300 against Madison this year, the only two players on the active roster to do so. The season series has been short on power, however, with just three combined home runs between the teams.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP

LHP DAVIS ROKOSE (FDL) makes his third start on the year after he tossed three shutout innings on June 28 against the Green Bay Rockers. Over his last three appearances (5.1 IP), he’s yet to allow an earned run, and hasn’t allowed an earned run in four of his five appearances.

LHP Ryan O’Hara (MAD) is set to make his sixth start of the year after he walked a season-high six in his last start against the Rockford Rivets. Prior to that start, he had allowed just three runs over 17 innings (1.59 ERA).