KALAMAZOO, MI – In a game where the two teams playing each other are struggling, only one team needed to struggle less to end up with the victory. The Madison Mallards, who started the season strong, lost 10 of their last 13 and Kalamazoo, who has been struggling all season.
Well, The Mallards (11-11) were the team that struggled less this night as they out hit and out pitched the Growlers (6-17) in a 6-1 win.
The lone Kalamazoo run came in the seventh inning when Mallard pitching walked three straight batters to load the bases. The next batter, Justin Fletcher (Northern Illinois) was able to beat out a grounder to short for an infield single, which scored Jordan Stading (Houston).
The Mallard pitching was as advertised. Starter Westin Wuethrich (Madison College) pitched a scoreless five innings. During those five innings, Wuethrich only allowed two hits and struckout four.
Lights out reliever Mike Kaelin (Buffalo) kept his ERA at 0.00 with a one-two-three ninth inning.
T.J. Cervin (KVCC), the Kalamazoo starter, pitched five innings as well, but allowed nine hits. Two of the five runs allowed during his tenor on the mound were earned, which lowered Cervin’s ERA to 8.85.
The big inning for Madison came in the fourth. Four of the 11 Mallards’ hits came in that inning, a single, a double, another single and one more single which all but finalized the win to bring Madison back to .500.
Newcomer Bryan Saucedo (Southern California), showed some promise in his eighth inning Growler debut. Relieving for Gabe Gunter (Shelton State), Saucedo wowed the Homer Stryker Field crowd by striking out the first two batters he faced.
The excitement died down, though, as Saucedo then proceeded to walk the next three batters to load the bases. Saucedo was able to escape the inning unscathed as the next batter grounded out to first for the third and final out of the inning.
Kalamazoo looks to end its losing streak tomorrow as the Mallards return to Homer Stryker Field for another match-up.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 21-year old summer collegiate 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, 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 (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit http://www.northwoodsleague.com.