By: Dylan Lee – Public Relations
Kalamazoo, MI – August 10, 2014. Down 8-7 going into the ninth inning, the Madison Mallards (21-18, 39-33) rallied to score three runs and win 10-8 over the Kalamazoo Growlers (16-21, 29-43) tonight in Kalamazoo to close out the 2014 Northwoods League season.
Left fielder Alex Bacon (North Florida) got things started in the ninth with a single and would come around to score later on a RBI single from third baseman Dylan Detert (Madison College). Catcher Matt Thaiss (Virginia) added an RBI single and Detert scored on a wild pitch to bring the Mallards final tally to ten. Detert finished 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
The Mallards had scored four in the sixth inning, two runs coming shortstop Tony Butler’s (Virginia) two RBI single, and three in the third. The Growlers responded to the Mallards big sixth with four runs of their own to go ahead 8-7.
After the Mallards three run ninth, closer Tim Black (Central Michigan) came on to earn the save, retiring all three batters he faced and striking out two.
Mallards reliever Ben Neumann earned the win, tossing two shutout innings in the seventh and eighth.
Growlers pitcher John Schreiber (Northwestern Ohio) was tabbed with the loss after pitching the final three innings, giving up three runs on three hits while striking out two.
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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
