The Madison Mallards added right handed pitcher Rick Rivas from Oklahoma State University for the 2005 season. Rivas, who has done work out of the bullpen and as a starter, joins Oklahoma State teammates shortstop Abe Aguirre and pitcher Nate Melek on the 2005 Mallards roster.

?Rick comes from a great baseball school and plays in one of the best conferences in the country,? Mallards head coach C.J. Thieleke said. ?He is a flexible arm that can come in for us and be dominant as a starter or out of the bullpen, and is a guy that knows the landscape of summer baseball.?

Rivas has a 3-4 record with a 5.43 ERA and one save for the Cowboys this season. Rivas threw six innings in Oklahoma State’s 8-3 loss to Baylor Thursday in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. He gave up two runs on five hits while striking out three.

Prior to Oklahoma State, Rivas played two seasons at El Paso Community College where he helped lead his team to two conference titles. He received all-conference honors as a sophomore at El Paso CC.

Rivas has been drafted twice, once by the Colorado Rockies in the 28th round in 2003 and then again in 2004 in the 48th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He comes to Madison after playing two years of summer ball with the Anchorage Glacierpilots of the Alaska Baseball League.

The Mallards will host an exhibition softball game featuring The King and His Court, followed by the Charter Communications Celebrity Softball Game Tuesday, May 31st beginning at 6:30. Admission is free for all Charter customers and $5 for everyone else. For more information please contact Cary Dohman at 708-785-5194 or via email at cary@mallardsbaseball.com.

The Mallards open the regular season at home Wednesday, June 1st at 7:05 p.m. against the Mankato MoonDogs. For more information call 246-4277 or visit the Mallards Web site at www.mallardsbaseball.com.