By: Ryan Hill — Public Relations
Madison, WI — July 6, 2013. Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (1-2, 20-18) right fielder Donnie Dewees (North Florida) hit a two-run double down the right field line in the eighth with the score tied 4-4 to push the Rafters to a 6-5 victory over the Madison Mallards (2-2, 23-14) Saturday.
Joe McCarthy (Virginia) pulled the Mallards within one in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI single, but Rafters reliever JP Feyereisen (UW-Stephens Point) forced Drew Weeks (North Florida) to pop out to right with runners on first and second to end it.
Cam Verbeke (Illinois State) struck out the first batter in the eighth but allowed two straight singles before Dewees took the 2-1 offering the other way down the left field line. Verbeke was tagged with the loss and drops to 3-1 on the season.
Feyereisen notched his fourth win in his last four appearances and improves to 4-0 with a 0.39 ERA through 23 innings of work this season.
Mallards starter Taylore Cherry (North Carolina) was hurt by free passes in the early innings. He led off the game with a walk to Rafters leadoff hitter Taylor Stell (Texas) and Stell came around to score four batters later.
He walked Zack Belanger (Long Beach State) to lead off the third, struck out the next two and walked Stell again to put runners on first and second with two outs. Dewees (North Florida) then hit a double to the right field gap to give the Rafters an early 3-0 lead.
Cherry lasted 5.2 innings, allowing four runs () on five hits and six walks. He struck out three.
The Mallards couldn’t get anything going against Rafters starter Greg Maisto (Texas A&M) until the third, when leadoff hitter Tate Matheny (Missouri State) hit a two-run bomb to left that scored Mike Reuvekamp (California).
They managed two more runs against the lefty in the fifth. Reuvekamp led off the inning with a single to right and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Matheny reached on an error that allowed Reuvekamp to score from second.
Corey Fischer (Madison College) made his Mallards debut and didn’t allow a hit in 1.1 innings of work but walked a pair of batters.
Dewees led all hitters by going 3-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs. Cleanup hitter Jackson Slaid (Montevello) was the other Rafters hitter with multiple hits and went 2-for-4.
Every Mallards player in the starting lineup recorded a hit besides first baseman Jeff Zahn (Indiana State). The team was led by Matheny, who finished 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored. His two-run jack in the third was his sixth long ball of the season.
The Mallards close their two-game set with the Rafters tomorrow at 5:05 pm at the “Duck Pond.” They then head to Eau Claire for a 6:35 pm game on Monday.
Sunday’s game is the St. Mary’s Apple a Day Giveaway and Charter Communications will present BBoy McCoy! The Special Olympics Community Connection Night will take place and it will also be Faith Night at the “Duck Pond.”
The Madison Mallards are your Northwoods League South Division First Half Champions! Playoff tickets will go on sale Monday July 8th at noon!
The Madison Mallards are part of the 16-team Northwoods League. The Northwoods League has more teams, plays more games, and draws more fans than any other Summer Collegiate Baseball League in North America. In 2013, the Northwoods League is celebrating its 20th season.
