Ask the Madison Mallards if losing seven of eight games to a single team during the regular season puts a team at a disadvatage playing them in the playoffs.

If Wednesday night’s game was any indication, the response would be no.

For the second year in a row the Madison Mallards will play in the NWL Championship Series, this time looking to defend their title after knocking off Rochester 6-1 in a decisive game three Wednesday night in Rochester.

John Martin?s two run single in the seventh put the Mallards on top for good and broke a one-one tie.

The Mallards trailed the game until the sixth inning when Ryan Bond reached on an infield hit scoring Kelly Sweppenhiser.

After Martin?s clutch hitting the Mallards added three more runs including two on a two-error play in the ninth inning.

J.J. Hollenbeck started the game for the Mallards, pitching five and one-third innings, allowing only one run while striking out five.

After Hollenbeck departed, Erik Walker did the rest for the Mallards, going the distance after replacing Hollenbeck in the sixth to earn the victory. Although wild at times, Walker did not allow a run but allowed four walks in addition to four strikeouts.

With the victory Madison looks forward to taking on either Thunder Bay or St. Cloud, whose game got pushed to Thursday due to heavy rain. The Mallards are now gaurenteed at least one home game, the first to be played on either Friday, August 19th or Saturday, August 20th. Tickets for the game can now be purchased both online, at www.mallardsbaseball.com or by phone at 246.4277. Stay tuned to www.mallardsbaseball.com for the most recent news.

The North Division game between Thunder Bay and St. Cloud has been postponed and will be made up tomorrow giving the winner of the South Division Championship an off day Thursday. Stay tuned to mallardsbaseball.com for the most recent updates.