By: Ryan Hill — Public Relations
Mankato, MN — August 9, 2013. Madison Mallards (19-16, 40-28) starter Taylore Cherry (North Carolina) struggled early again against the Mankato MoonDogs (21-12, 38-30) Friday night and the Mallards couldn’t bounce back from an early deficit in a 7-3 loss.
Cherry allowed three walks in a two-run bottom of the second for the MoonDogs and allowed three-straight two-out hits one inning later to give the MoonDogs a quick 5-0 lead.
Sam Forkert (Marian) then came in for the Mallards but allowed a base hit and a walk to start the fifth. MoonDogs No. 3 hitter John Michael Twichell (UT-Arlington) then singled to right to extend the lead to six.
Three of the Mallards six hits on the night then came in the next half inning and the Mallards pulled within three off of MoonDogs starter Zach Hobbs (Navarro JC). Kyle Ruchim (Northwestern) led off the inning with a double over the center fielder’s head and John LaPrise (Virginia) then tripled down the right field line to drive him in. Drew Weeks (North Florida) then kept the offensive flurry alive by singling in LaPrise to center field. After a fly out by Mike Fiztgerald (Indiana State), Joe McCarthy reached on an error that scored Weeks.
Brock Dykxhoorn (West Virginia) then came in for the MoonDogs and would shut out the Mallards for the rest of the game. He struck out eight over 4.2 innings and walked just two while holding the Mallards hitless.
Also pitching for the Mallards on the night was Jack Livingston (Northwestern) and Anthony Olson (Oakton CC). Livingston pitched the sixth and seventh and allowed one run (unearned) on one hit and walked one while striking out one MoonDog. Olson allowed an infield single in a scoreless eighth.
LaPrise was the only Mallards hitter in the lineup with multiple hits and finished 2-for-5 with a triple, a run and an RBI. Weeks recorded the other Mallards RBI and went 1-for-2 and also scored a run.
MoonDogs leadoff hitter and center fielder Tim Arakawa (Oklahoma State) led the way at the plate on the night by going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. Right fielder Jonathan Rodriguez (Oklahoma City) and shortstop Josh Fuentes (Saddleback College) also had multiple hits on the night for the MoonDogs. Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while Fuentes knocked in three while also going 2-for-4.
The Mallards return home tomorrow against the Lakeshore Chinooks for a 6:05 pm game to begin the final series of the regular season. There will be a Mallards Trading Card Giveaway presented by Charter Communications on Saturday and it will also be Back to School Night! The United Way Community Connection Night will also take place that night and Budweiser will provide post-game fireworks.
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.
