Madison, WI – August 11, 2008. The regular-season portion of the 2008 schedule wraps up tonight when the Mallards face the Battle Creek Bombers at 6:05 p.m. in Battle Creek. Jeff Zielke (UW-Stevens Point) will make his Mallards debut tonight on the mound. The Mallards will then travel to Wausau on Tuesday for game one of the playoffs at 6:35 p.m., before returning to the “Duck Pond” on Wednesday for game two at 7:05 p.m.

Madison Mallards (34-33, 12-22) at Battle Creek Bombers (24-43, 14-19)
August 11, 2008 – 6:05 p.m. (CT)
C.O. Brown Stadium – Battle Creek, MI

Pitching Probables:
RHP Jeff Zielke (MAD) – first appearance
RHP Nick Hoover (BC) – 1 GS (14 APP), 24.2 IP, 1-2, 3.65 ERA

Mallards records (first half):
– 4-0 vs. Battle Creek
– 10-8 at home
– 12-3 on road
– 14-6 vs. South Division
– 8-5 vs. North Division

Mallards records (second half):
– 2-1 vs. Battle Creek
– 10-6 at home
– 2-16 on road
– 9-19 vs. South Division
– 3-3 vs. North Division

Madison is…
– 25-11 when scoring first
– 3-7 in extra innings
– 7-9 in one-run games
– 26-3 when leading after 7 innings
– 24-4 when outhitting its opponent
– 25-3 when scoring 7+ runs
– 25-14 when making equal or fewer errors than opponent

Last time out for the Mallards: L 5-2 at Battle Creek, August 10
A three-run sixth inning was all the Battle Creek Bombers needed to defeat the Madison Mallards Sunday afternoon 5-2, behind a complete-game six-hitter by Jesse Hernandez. Hernandez held the Mallards bats in check all afternoon, and the Bombers offense banged out 10 hits against Mallards starter Brandon Copp (Northern Illinois) and Travis High (NC State). The loss drops the Mallards to 34-33 overall and 12-22 in the second half, ahead of tomorrow night’s regular-season finale against the Bombers.

Mallards Musings:
-The Mallards are second in the league in runs scored as a team (361). Wisconsin is first with 362 runs scored.
-Madison has drawn the most walks in the league this season (329). Waterloo is the next closest with 322 team walks.
-Rob Lyerly (Charlotte) leads the Northwoods League lead with a .342 batting average.
-Brandon Wikoff (Illinois) is third in the league in runs scored with 47.
-Brant Combs (Missouri State) has appeared in the second-most games in the league this season (29).
-Lyerly’s 48 RBIs sets a new single-season Mallards team record.
-Lyerly’s 19 doubles this season sets a new single-season Mallards team record. Randy Molina (Stanford) had 15 in 2007 for the previous team record.
-Phil Gosselin’s (Virginia) seven triples this season is a new Mallards single-season record.
-Wikoff reached base in the first 22 games he played at the “Duck Pond” to start the season. He was 0-for-5 on July 26 to snap the streak. It is tied for the longest home consecutive on-base streak in the league this season.
-Eric Nielsen (Purdue) was NWL Player of the Night on August 3 for his 3-for-4 game with four RBIs. He is the sixth different Mallard to win the award and by winning on August 3, a Mallard player won the award for the seventh time this season.
-Lyerly earned Northwoods League Player of the Night for the second time on July 29, when he was 4-for-4 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. His award marks the sixth time that a Mallard has won the nightly award.
-Joe Bonadonna (Illinois) became the fifth Mallard to win Northwoods League Player of the Night when he reached base five times against Battle Creek on July 19. He was 3-for-3 with two singles and a double, and also drew two walks and scored three times.
-Wikoff earned Northwoods League Player of the Night July 10 when he reached base six times with three singles and three walks. He scored five runs for the Mallards.
-Drew Martin (NC State) was NWL Player of the Night on July 3 when he was 5-for-7 in two games at Battle Creek on the last day of the first half.
-Lyerly made it two Mallards award-winners in one week when he earned the honor on June 30 after a 4-for-5 game at Mankato. He had a home run, a double, three RBIs and scored three runs in the contest.
-After a 4-for-5 performance on June 26 against Brainerd, outfielder Aaron Bray (Charlotte) was named Northwoods League Player of the Night. He had four singles and scored three runs. Bray is the first Mallard to win the nightly award this season.
-Lyerly’s 12-game hitting streak dating back to June 11 ended with a 0-for-2 performance at Thunder Bay on June 24. He hit .380 with 11 runs scored and four doubles during the streak.
-Wikoff had a 10-game hitting streak snapped on June 28. It was the Mallards second-longest hitting streak of the season.
-From the beginning of the season on May 29 until June 15 Wikoff reached base in 16 consecutive games.