Madison, Wis. (July 4) – The Madison Mallards (3-0, 23-15) cashed in their third consecutive victory to begin the second half of their 2015 schedule Saturday night at Athletic Park, defeating the Wisconsin Woodchucks (2-2, 14-25) by a final score of 7-3. Collin Theroux (San Joaquin Delta CC) provided the offensive fireworks for Madison on Independence Day, mashing two home runs with four runs batted en route to the Mallards capturing a sweep of their South Division opponent.
After a scoreless first inning, Madison claimed the game’s first lead courtesy of Theroux’s leadoff, solo home run to begin the top of the second. One inning later, Logan Browning (Florida) grounded into a run-producing fielder’s choice to score Ro Coleman (Vanderbilt), lifting the Mallards lead to 2-0. Wisconsin responded with runs in the third and fourth inning against Matt Bower (Washington State), however, which evened the score at 2-2 heading to the fifth frame.
With Jean Ramirez (Illinois State) and Browning reaching base via a double and walk, respectively, to open the road half of the fifth, Theroux promptly clubbed his second home run of the night on the first pitch of his plate appearance, giving him a total of four runs batted in Saturday night. Madison manufactured an insurance run one inning later courtesy of Ramirez’s second double of the evening to score Anthony Gonsolin (St. Mary’s College). After six, Madison led 6-2.
Woodchucks shortstop Yusuke Akitoshi did his best to stimulate his team’s lineup late against the Mallards, plating Connor Heady via a fielder’s choice ground ball in the home half of the eighth. The run would prove to be the last for Wisconsin, however, who saw the Mallards tally another insurance run in the top of the ninth via Tony Butler’s (Madison College) RBI single to score Gonsolin. Mike Kaelin (Buffalo) followed with a scoreless ninth, sealing Madison’s 7-3 win.
While Theroux’s offensive prowess stole the show for the Mallards Saturday night, Bower performed admirably as Madison’s starting pitcher. The 6-foot-5 southpaw allowed just two earned runs on seven hits and two walks across six strong innings of work against the Woodchucks, an outing that included eight strikeouts against 30 batters faced. Bower’s outing marked his team-best fifth quality start of the summer for Madison, lowering his ERA to 3.09.
Remaining undefeated to start the second half of their schedule, field manager Donnie Scott and company will turn their attention toward Sunday’s 5:05 p.m. contest with the Alexandria Blue Anchors (2-2, 14-25). Tomorrow’s contest will mark the second tilt of a five-game road swing for the Mallards before returning to the Duck Pond on Thursday, June 9 against the Kenosha Kingfish. Tune in to 100.5 ESPN Madison for play-by-play coverage of Sunday’s series opener.
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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 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.MallardsBaseball.com.
