By: Dylan Lee – Public Relations
Madison, Wis. – The Madison Mallards fell to the Kalamazoo Growlers in the second game of their doubleheader tonight at Warner Park. Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan) received the loss and Kalamazoo pitcher Donnie Eaton (Michigan) got the win.
Sharp got off to a solid start in the first, retiring the side but ran into trouble in the second, walking three Growlers and giving up three hits. Southpaw Rob McDonnell (Illinois) came in to relieve Sharp and pitched two innings of relief before being replaced by righty Chris Oakley (North Carolina). McDonnell gave up two hits, two walks and struck out one batter in his first relief appearance of the year.
Centerfielder Will Krug (Illinois) got the bats started in the second for the Mallards, reaching first off a walk and taking second on an errant pick off throw. Shortstop Michael Handel (Minnesota) then singled to send Krug home from second. Third baseman Spencer Blacksher (Southwest Baptist) hit a long double to left to score Handel from second. First baseman Brian Rodemoyer (Illinois State) followed two batters latter with a broken bat single to left, scoring Blacksher from second.
McDonnell walked two in the top of the fourth before Oakley came in. Oakley hit a batter to load the bases before getting Brett Sunde (Western Michigan) to groundout to first.
The Mallards did manage to score two more runs. Catcher Drew Carlile (Bradley) led off the six, reaching first on a throwing error and second on a Robbie Tenerowicz (California) single. Krug then grounded to to first, scoring Carlile. Tenerowicz later scored on a wild pitch. The comeback was stopped short in the seventh, when Ryan Smoyer (Notre Dame) closed out the game for the Growlers.
The Mallards start a two game set with the La Crosse Loggers tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.
Mallards single game tickets are on-sale now. To purchase tickets, log on to MallardsBaseball.com, call 608-246-4277, or stop by the Mallards ticket office.
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The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit MallardsBaseball.com.
