KALAMAZOO, MI – The Madison Mallards ended an 11-game Kalamazoo Growlers winning streak on Sunday with a 6-4 win at Homer Stryker Field.
The two teams combined for four home runs on the day, with three coming from the bats of the Mallards who lead the league with 21 long balls.
In the second inning a Zach Daniels home run to left field got the scoring started. It was Daniels’ fourth of the season and the first earned run given up by Mallards starter Dustin Wiggins this season.
Madison immediately responded in the third inning on a Trevor Schwecke two-run home run off the Growlers starting pitcher Sam Weatherly.
Kalamazoo was able to regain the lead in the third with two runs. Sam Crail lead off the inning with a single followed by a Jason Sullivan walk. Jordan Bowersox singled to drive home Crail then Ivan Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to plate Sullivan.
The fourth was the big inning for the Mallards who took the lead on back-to-back solo home runs to left field from Tyler Plantier and David Vinsky to give the Mallards a 4-3 lead. It was Plantier’s fifth home run and Vinsky’s third blast of the season.
The Growlers were able to tie the game in the fifth inning after Crail lead off with another single then moved up to second on a balk. A wild pitch sent him to third base before scoring on a Sullivan RBI single.
Madison took the lead for good in the seventh against Luke Boyd after he surrendered three straight singles scoring Trevor Schweke. An insurance run was added by the Mallards again in the ninth when Schweke walked and eventually scored on an RBI single by Vinsky to make the final score 6-4.
Kalamazoo threatened in the bottom of the ninth with two straight singles with nobody out against the Mallard’s closer Trace Norkus. Sam Crail then lined into a tough luck double play to end the threat.
Sam Weatherly made his debut on the mound for the Growlers, throwing four innings and allowing four earned runs. Luke Boyd took the loss in relief allowing one run in three innings out of the bullpen.
The win for the Mallards went to Leon Hunter who threw two innings and striking out two Growlers hitters.
The Growlers will head to Fond du Lac tomorrow to begin a six-game road trip and will return next Saturday, June 30th, to play six straight at home.
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The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods 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, 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.