Battle Creek, MI.-The Madison Mallards (10-4) won in a low scoring affair, beating the Battle Creek Bombers (5-9) by a score of 1-0 to get their tenth win of the season tonight at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. With the win tonight, the Mallards now stand alone atop the Northwoods League South Division leaderboard.
Mallards starting pitcher Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan) pitched a scoreless gem through six innings, striking out nine batters and giving up two hits to receive his second win of the season. He moves to 2-1 on the year after his shutout performance tonight.
In the second, Joe Dudek (North Carolina) crossed home plate on an errant throw to score the Mallards only run of the game. He reached base twice and now has seven hits in 15 appearances at the dish, good for a .467 average in his last four games.
Up 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Mallards brought in Tim Black (Central Michigan) to shut down the Bombers, retiring all batters he faced to record his third save in his past three appearances. Battle Creek pitcher Kyle Slack (Toledo) was credited with the loss after pitching six innings, giving up two hits while striking out four batters and walking one.
The Mallards are currently in first place in the South Division having won tonight. They return to the “Duck Pond” tomorrow to play the second place Lakeshore Chinooks (9-4) 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.
