By: Dylan Lee – Public Relations
Madison, WI – August 6, 2014. The Madison Mallards (18-17, 36-32) completed a sweep of the Alexandria Blue Anchors (11-23, 20-48) tonight at the “Duck Pond,” winning by a score of 6-4.
Mallards starter Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan) tossed five solid innings, allowing three runs on seven hits to get his fourth win of the season.
The Mallards came back from a 3-0 deficit in the third inning, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third, two coming on third baseman Trent Higginbothem’s (North Florida) two RBI single. Higginbothem finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and one run.
First baseman Austin Barr (Stanford) then added an RBI single in the fourth, and shortstop Tony Butler (Virginia) tacked on an RBI double in the fifth to put the Mallards up 5-3.
The Mallards went on to score one more in the seventh before reliever Devin Over (Connecticut) closed down the Blue Anchors in the ninth, allowing one run to receive his first save of the season.
Reliever Andrew Buckley (California) came on after Sharp in the sixth, throwing two scoreless innings in relief and striking out two.
Blue Anchors pitcher Jordan Risse (St. Scholastica) suffered the loss, giving up one run in the fourth to drop to 0-1 on the year.
In the playoff race, the Mallards are three games back of the Wisconsin Woodchucks in the Northwoods League South Division overall standings. For the Mallards to make the playoffs, they must finish in sole second place in the overall standings.
The Mallards end their season later this week on a four game road trip beginning tomorrow at 6:05 pm (CT) against the Battle Creek Bombers. They play two in Battle Creek and then travel to Kalamazoo to face the Kalamazoo Growlers on Saturday and Sunday.
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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
