With the second-half of the season heating up, Madison filled a much needed hole at first base, adding first baseman Scott Simon of Northern Illinois to their 30-man roster. Simon takes the spot vacated by pitcher Mark Moriarty who left the team because of arm problems.

Simon comes to the Mallards after sitting out much of the 2005 NCAA season with an injury. The Oak Lawn, IL-native hit .341 with seven RBI in 11 games, including 10 starts for the Huskies. As a sophomore, Simon led the Huskies with a .374 average, starting all 59 games for NIU. He also led the team with 71 RBI and 24 doubles to go along with five home runs. Simon was a Second-Team All-MAC selection his freshman year.

The junior at NIU received Second-Team ?Summer League All-American? honors last summer for his performance with the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska Baseball League. He hit .341 with 37 RBI and eight doubles in 211 at-bats for the Miners who took home the 2004 Alaska League Championship.

Moriarty leaves the team after posting a 0-1 record to go along with a 4.30 ERA in a dual role as a starter and reliever. In 23 innings, the right-handed pitcher from St. Scholastica struck out 18 while walking 10.

The Mallards (2-2 second half, 25-13 overall) are back in action Friday after a three-day break for the 2005 Northwoods League All-Star game in Alexandria. The St. Cloud River Bats host Madison at 7:05 p.m. both Friday and Saturday night, before the Mallards travel to Duluth for games Sunday and Monday.

The Mallards return home Friday, July 22 to take on the La Crosse Loggers at 7:05 p.m. For tickets contact the Mallards ticket office at (608) 246-4277 or at www.mallardsbaseball.com.