Kalamazoo, MI – July 6, 2014. The Madison Mallards (4-1, 22-16) square off against the Kalamazoo Growlers (0-4, 13-26) tonight at Homer Stryker Field in Kalamazoo, Michigan. First pitch is slated for 5:05 pm.
A.J. Bogucki (North Carolina) aims to guide the Mallards to a win after tossing 5.0 innings in his last start, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out four in a 4-3 win over the La Crosse Loggers.
Bogucki carries a 3.25 ERA in 19.1 innings of work for the Mallards, having struck out 20 and walked nine this summer.
He will face fellow righty Ryan Smoyer, a 6’4”, 200-pound product out of Notre Dame University. Smoyer is 4-0 on the year with a 2.62 ERA in 37.2 innings of work and in his last start, went seven complete innings against the Battle Creek Bombers (2-3, 18-22), giving up two runs on six hits, walking four while striking out four.
Last night, the Mallards fell to the Bombers at the “Duck Pond” by a score of 7-1 after being limited to just five hits.
Bombers starter Zac Ryan (Georgia Tech) went seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits and walking two to get the win.
Mallards starter Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan) received the loss after pitching six innings, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out four.
The Bombers scored two runs in the fourth, and the Mallards would respond with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, but the Bombers then scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning, highlighted by a Connor Panas (Canisius) three run homer, to close off any chance of a Mallards late comeback.
Bombers reliever Alden Cartwright (LSU) closed out the Mallards in the eighth and ninth innings, retiring six of the seven batters he faced.
The Mallards continue their five game road trip tomorrow against the Kalamazoo Growlers (0-3, 13-22) at 7:05 pm. They play one more against the Growlers at Homer Stryker Field and then travel to Wisconsin Rapids for a six game home and home series against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (0-3, 12-23). The Mallards return to the “Duck Pond” on July 11th to face the Rafters at 7:05 pm.
Friday the 11th will feature a MIG Commercial Real Estate LEGO Building Giveaway. It is also Circus World Night with live circus entertainment and Remington Beard Night.
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 the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit MallardsBaseball.com.
