\n\tMADISON, WI – The Madison Mallards scored three unanswered runs in the latter half of the ballgame as the Kalamazoo Growlers fell 7-4 on Thursday night at Warner Park.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tWith the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, Jason Goldstein (Illinois) took Alec Byrd (Florida State) deep to left center for a solo home run. Then in the seventh, the Mallards (1-1, 21-16) loaded the bases against Kalamazoo reliever Andrew Shepherd (Jackson College), setting up Tony Butler (Madison College) for a two-run single to give the game its final margin.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Growlers (1-1, 9-26) got a rally going in the top of the ninth as Corey Dempster (USC) doubled with one out and Kory Brown (Bowling Green) reached on an error. That would be it for Kalamazoo, though, as Justin Fletcher (Northern Illinois) flew out to center and Jordan Stading (Houston) struck out to end the game.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tDalton D’Spain (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 4-1) beat the Growlers for the second time this season, tossing five innings of four-run, five-hit ball. Byrd (0-1) took the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings. Vince Arobio (Pacific) earned his third save of the year with a scoreless inning and a third.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tKalamazoo opened the scoring in the top of the second. Nick Yarnall (Pittsburgh) grounded a one-out single through the right side, then after Alex Gosser (Arkansas) walked, Marquise Gill (Eastern Michigan) lined a single to score Yarnall. Johnny Ruiz (Miami) plated Gosser on a groundout to make it 2-0.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tMadison responded with four in their half of the second, highlighted by RBI doubles by Scott Tyler (Ball State) and Butler. The Growlers followed it up with a pair in the third to tie it. Fletcher took a pitch in the side and Stading launched a double to right center. Dylan Busby (Florida State) brought Fletcher home on an RBI groundout, while Yarnall made it 4-4 with a single to center.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tYarnall finished the day 2-for-4 with a double and a run driven in. Stading also picked up two hits, while Gill got on base four times in four chances.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tButler led the way for the Mallards, going 2-for-4 with a double, run, and four RBIs. Goldstein and Charlie Cody (Virginia) each scored twice.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Growlers will now return home to the de-flooded Homer Stryker Field for a pair of doubleheaders against the defending Northwoods League champion Lakeshore Chinooks. First pitch of the Friday doubleheader is set for 5:05 p.m. with the second game starting 30 minutes after the first.\n<\/p>\n