Madison, WI – July 13, 2008. Mankato outfielder Michael Rockett hit 10 home runs, including five in the final round, to win the 2008 Northwoods League Home Run Derby Sunday night at the “Duck Pond.” Rockett, a 6’1” 165 lb junior from the University of Texas-San Antonio, blasted numerous long balls over the entire left-field Budweiser Rooftop, a distance well over 380’ from home plate. He hit five long balls in the first round to advance to meet Waterloo outfielder Joey Register (Texas A&M), Green Bay infielder Nick O’Shea (Minnesota), and Wisconsin outfielder Troy Frazier (Kentucky) in the final round. The South Division trio all advanced to the finals after hitting three home runs each. In that decisive round both Frazier and Register hit three home runs, while O’Shea hit two.

Coming into the event, it was widely thought that a left-handed hitter would excel given that the “Duck Pond’s” right-field wall was shortened to 295 2/3’ to make way for a Duck Blind addition (left field sits 320’ from home plate). However, a steady 25 mile-an-hour breeze from right-field kept lefties at bay all day, including Mallards infielder Luke Stewart (UAB) who hit numerous shots to that part of the field but was denied because of the wind.

Great seats are still available for Monday’s NWL All-Star Game featuring some of the brightest collegiate prospects in the country and can be purchased online at Mallardsbaseball.com or by calling the ticket office at 608.246.4277. Come watch the North and South Divisions battle in the league’s 14th annual contest.