By: Ryan Hill — Public Relations
Madison, WI — July 25, 2013. Joe McCarthy (Virginia) and Drew Weeks (North Florida) knocked in runs in the bottom of the seventh after a 42-minute rain delay to help the Madison Mallards (14-7, 35-19) to a 4-3 victory over the Battle Creek Bombers (6-14, 20-34) Thursday night.
The Battle Creek Bombers scored a run apiece in the fifth and sixth to take a 3-2 lead but the Mallards struck early after the rain delay in the middle of the seventh to take the lead.
Danny Sullivan (Davenport) then came on in the ninth and worked around a walk, a single and a hit by pitch to record his fourth save of the season. He got Bombers third baseman Tyler Moore (LSU) swinging to end the game.
The rain was on-and-off all game until a heavy dose came in the top of the seventh inning. The umpires issued a rain delay after Mallards reliever Kristian Calibuso (Eastern Michigan) struck out Bombers left fielder Jared Foster (LSU) with the bases loaded to end the top of the seventh.
Calibuso earned the win by pitching the seventh and improves to 3-1 on the year while Todd Eaton (Southern Illinois) suffered the loss and drops to 2-5.
Mallards reliever Jack Livingston (Northwestern) nearly got out of a bases loaded jam with the score tied at two in the sixth. He got a force out at home on a groundout to Mallards third baseman Brock Stewart (Illinois State) but then walked Moore for the go-ahead run.
The Bombers managed two runs off of Mallards starter Taylore Cherry (North Carolina). Greg Velazquez (Cal St. Fullerton) had an RBI groundout to third in the top of the second and designated hitter Joe Serrano (Arkansas) singled in Velazquez with two outs in the fifth.
Cherry allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits over five innings of work.
The other two Mallards runs came in the bottom of the fourth against Bombers starter Keegan Yuhl (Lee University). The Mallards led off the inning with a walk and a single and Jeff Zahn (Indiana State) knocked home Drew Weeks (North Florida) on a sac fly to left two batters later. Erik Forgione (Washington) hit a broken bat, RBI single up the middle two batters after Zahn knocked in the Mallards first run.
The second game of the three-game series against the Bombers will take place Friday night at 7:05 pm at the “Duck Pond.”
There will be a Meriter and Physicians Plus Blanket giveaway and a MINI of Madison Keychain giveaway for Friday night’s game! Badger Bowl Bowling Night and the Family Support and Research Center Community Connection Night will also be held.
The Madison Mallards are your Northwoods League South Division First Half Champions! Playoff tickets are on-sale now!
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.
