Madison, WI – July 18, 2014. After splitting a doubleheader against the Willmar Stingers (10-7, 32-15) yesterday, the Madison Mallards (11-6, 29-21) look to take two off the Stingers today at the “Duck Pond.” First pitch is slated for 4:30 pm, and both games of the doubleheader will go seven innings.
The Mallards currently sit 1.5 games back of the Lakeshore Chinooks in the Northwoods League South Division second half standings, and a game ahead of the third place Wisconsin Woodchucks.
On the mound for game one is Mallards starter A.J. Bogucki, a 6’3”, 200 pound-righty out of the University of North Carolina. Bogucki has made five starts for the Mallards and holds a 2-1 record with 23 strikeouts in 28.1 innings of work.
In his last appearance, Bogucki went four innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits in a 10-7 loss to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
He is scheduled to square off against Stingers starter T.J. Whidby, a 5’10”, 185-pound righty out of University of Texas-Arlington. Whidby is 2-1 on the year with a 3.68 ERA, and in his last start he tossed seven complete innings, giving up three runs, one earned, on nine hits in a 5-3 win over the Waterloo Bucks.
Slated to start game two for the Mallards is righty Chris Oakley (North Carolina). Oakley has split time starting and coming out of the bullpen for the Mallards this year, and he will get his fourth start today after his last appearance, where he threw one inning in relief, allowing one run on one hit while striking out two in a 6-5 loss to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
Yesterday, the Mallards fell in game one of their doubleheader by a score of 7-6 but came back in game two to win 5-0.
In game one, the Mallards mounted a late comeback, scoring three runs in the top half of the seventh inning but wound up losing to the Stingers by one run in the seven inning game.
Left fielder Alex Bacon (North Florida) scored on an error in the seventh and Northwoods League All Star and first baseman Pete Alonso (Florida) hit a two run home run, but Stingers starter A.J. Puckett (Pepperdine University) retired the last batter to get the win. He went seven complete innings, giving up six runs on seven hits.
Northwoods League All-Star and Mallards starter Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan) tossed four innings, giving up six runs on seven hits while striking out two in the loss.
In game two, Mallards starter Rob McDonnell (Illinois) pitched six no hit innings to lead the Mallards to a 5-0 victory.
McDonnell was on track for a no hit performance going into the last inning of play before allowing two hits to lead off the seventh. The southpaw was still superb in his two hit outing, walking two while striking out five to get his fifth win of the year.
Alonso hit a three run bomb, his 11th of the season and second of the day, as part of a four run fourth inning for the Mallards. He finished 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBI.
Stingers hurler Brady Anderson (Florida Gulf Coast) tossed five innings, allowing five runs on five hits while walking three in the loss.
The Mallards travel to Kenosha tomorrow to begin a two game series against the Kenosha Kingfish at 6:05 pm. After the conclusion of the series, the Mallards are off for the Northwoods League All-Star Break until next Thursday, when they resume play in a home-and-home series against the Lakeshore Chinooks. The Mallards play one in Mequon on Thursday at 6:35 pm and return to the “Duck Pond” on Friday for a 7:05 pm game.
Friday is Jay Hazen Dentistry for Madison Muskies Turn Back the Clock Night with a Toothbrush Giveaway. It is Badger Bowl Bowling Appreciation Night, as well as Bark in the Park, where fans can bring their pooch to the ballpark!
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.
