Battle Creek, MI. – The Madison Mallards (9-4) stay in Battle Creek, Michigan tonight to wrap up their two game series against the Battle Creek Bombers (5-8) at 7:05 pm. The Mallards lost last night to the Bombers 4-5 in 14 innings but are currently tied for first place in the South Division with the Lakeshore Chinooks.
On the bump tonight for the Mallards is righty Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan). Sharp is 1-1 on the year, getting his win in a 8-0 shutout of the Kenosha Kingfish last Tuesday. In his second outing with the club, Sharp settled in to pitch five innings, striking out five batters and blanking the Kingfish on three hits.
Before yesterday’s game, the Mallards had outscored their opponents 63-18 in a span of six games. The Mallards hitters will look to improve on their offensive performance from yesterday against Battle Creek starter Kyle Slack (Toledo), a 6’8”, 260-pound hurler out of Edwardsburg, MI. The big righty is 1-0 in two appearances this year with a 1.86 ERA in 9.2 innings pitched, having struck out 13 batters and held opposing teams to a .134 average at the plate.
Mallards starter Christian Taugner (Brown) was solid in his third appearance of the year yesterday against the Bombers, working five innings and giving up three runs on nine hits. The Bombers received six innings of work from starter Jacob Waguespuck (Ole Miss), who gave up two runs on five hits, and winning pitcher Dakota Meekes (Michigan State), who moved to 1-0 on the year after he fanned three straight Mallards in the 13th inning with the bases loaded to help the Bombers to their fifth win of the year.
The Mallards return to the “Duck Pond” tomorrow to play the Lakeshore Chinooks at 7:05 pm. It is Ho-Chunk Gaming Night and will feature a Ho-Chunk Plinko Board and Ho-Chunk Playing Card Giveaway in the Great Dane Duck Blind. It is also Valpak Great Outdoors 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 via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.mallardsbaseball.com.
