Madison, WI. – Tim Black is good. The 6-3, 230-pound right hander out of Mount Hope, Ontario has been dominant against opposing batters this season for the Mallards, currently tied for the league lead with 12 saves. He comes to Madison from Central Michigan, where he appeared in 21 games as a junior with a 1.91 ERA. In 28.1 innings of work with the Chippewas, he gave up 30 hits, 11 runs, six earned, while fanning 26 batters. He pitched at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) his freshman and sophomore seasons, where he posted a 6-3 record with a 1.88 earned run average in his second year campaign, striking out 76 batters in just 72 innings. He struck out a single-game World Series record 16 batters in NIACC's 2-0 win over Madison College in the opening game of the 2013 national tournament. Black holds a NIACC program record with 132 career strikeouts and a career earned run average of 1.88. Black sat down with the Mallards Public Relations team to talk baseball, his mentality, and his influences on the mound.

Mallards Public Relations: What's your mentality when you come on for a save opportunity?

Tim Black: Throw strikes, get ahead in the count, and believe in what my catcher throws down. He’s been out there for eight innings, he know what's going on. Whatever he throws down I’m confident in it. I just have to hit my spots and do what I do best.

Mallards PR: Who has influenced your pitching  and what do you like about their style and approach?

TB: My brother has been a great mentor towards me. My older sister played four years of softball down at Hampton University in Virginia. I’ve always looked up to those two. And my mom of course, she was a top pitcher in Canada when she was younger. Just following what they told me and everyday I live by their words and go from there.

Mallards PR: Aspect you enjoy most about closing?

TB: I like when the crowd gets up when they call my name. It’s a lot of fun, the adrenaline is pumping every time I run to the mound.

Mallards PR: What kind of animal do you see yourself as?

TB: A dog, I guess (laughing). Scrappy, I like to have fun and get the job done.