By: Dylan Lee – Public Relations
La Crosse, WI – July 30, 2014. The Madison Mallards (12-15, 30-30) aim to take two off the La Crosse Loggers (8-17, 29-31) today in a home-and-home doubleheader beginning at 12:05 pm this afternoon. The Mallards will play game one in La Crosse and return to the “Duck Pond” later tonight to square off against the Loggers at 7:05 pm.
On the mound for game one is Mallards starter Rob McDonnell (Illinois). McDonnell is 5-3 on the year with a 5.33 ERA, and has struck out 36 in 43.1 innings of work. In his most recent victory, he tossed six shutout innings against the Willmar Stingers, allowing two hits while striking out five in a 5-0 win on July 17th.
He is scheduled to face Loggers pitcher Kevin Pilot, a 6’6”, 195-pound righty out of Mesa Community College. The Scottsdale, Arizona native has only one appearance for the Loggers, where he tossed four innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits in a 10-8 loss to the Green Bay Bullfrogs.
Last night, the Mallards rallied late, scoring three runs in the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the the Wisconsin Woodchucks, losing by a score of 5-4.
The Mallards scored one in the fourth when Tony Butler (Virginia) singled to make it 3-1 in favor of the Woodchucks, driving in Trent Higginbothem (North Florida) after he had led off with a single to start the inning. Higginbothem finished 2-for-4 with one run.
The Woodchucks responded with one run in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth inning. In the seventh, the Mallards led off with three singles, loading the bases with no outs. Designated hitter Austin Barr (Stanford) then singled to score left fielder Alex Bacon (North Florida), and two batters later second baseman Michael Handel (Minnesota) recorded a two RBI single to bring the score to 5-4.
Woodchucks reliever Austin Tribby (Missouri) then closed out the Mallards in the ninth, retiring three of the four batters he faced.
Mallards starter Alex Pondick (Montevallo) tossed four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out two in the loss.
The Mallards are 10.5 games back of the first place Lakeshore Chinooks in the South Division second half standings, and overall they are five games back of the second place Wisconsin Woodchucks.
For the Mallards to make the playoffs, they must win the second half or finish second in the overall standings as long as Lakeshore holds their second half lead.
The Mallards stay in Madison tomorrow to begin a two game series against the Kenosha Kingfish at 7:05 pm. It is Summerween at the “Duck Pond”, and Forest of Freaks will present a Field of Screams Haunted Stadium with Post-Game Trick-or-Treating on the field. Kids 12 and under in costume get a free standing room only ticket. It is also Rayovac Night with a Rayovac Giveaway and Charter Communications sponsors Mallards team posters.
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.
