Madison, Wis. (July 12) – Field manager Donnie Scott and the Madison Mallards (7-4, 27-19) walked off as winners of an 8-7, extra-inning tilt over the Battle Creek Bombers (3-9, 16-31) Sunday evening at Warner Park. J.J. Gould’s (Jacksonville) walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth capped a four-run comeback between the final two innings of the contest for the Mallards, who in turn salvaged a series split with the Bombers and moved to 7-4 in the season’s second half.
After a scoreless first inning at the Duck Pond, Madison captured a 1-0 lead in the home half of the second courtesy of Bryce Carter’s (Stanford) single to score Scott Tyler (Ball State). Niko Pacheco responded for Battle Creek with a solo home run in the top of the fourth, however, knotting the game at 1-1. Charlie Cody (Virginia) drove home Carter with a sac fly in the fifth to take back the lead, but the Bombers answered via Matt Simmons’ RBI double to re-tie the game. A wild pitch by Anthony Gonsolin (St. Mary’s College) led to another run, and after seven complete, Battle Creek led 3-2.
Jean Ramirez (Illinois State) produced a two-run home run in the home half of the eighth, however, which propelled Madison to a 4-3 advantage in what quickly became a back-and-forth affair. But just as the Mallards were able to comfortably re-gain another lead, the Bombers exploded for four runs in the top of the ninth via Cayce Bredlau’s grand slam off Mallards reliever Vince Arobio (Pacific), one that came with two strikes in the count. The four-run homer to right field put the Mallards down 7-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, a position the Mallards have thrived.
Jonathan Quintana (Barry University) provided a jolt of energy to a desperate Madison club with a home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Carter then doubled to the left centerfield gap, followed promptly by a single by Cody. Cameron Frost (Washington State) pinch-ran for Cody at second base, providing the speed necessary for Madison to set up a potential game-tying hit. Scott and company received that clutch moment when Jason Goldstein (Illinois) knocked in a fleet-of-foot Frost on a weak line drive to centerfield, re-tying the game at 7-7 heading to the top of the tenth.
Mike Kaelin (Buffalo) proceeded to tally a scoreless inning of relief for the Mallards in the road half of the tenth, fanning two of four total batters faced to safely shift the game to the bottom of the tenth. Tony Butler (Madison College) led off the home half of the final frame with a ground out to Bombers pitcher Kaleb McCurry. Gould, who took Quintana’s spot in the lineup after subbing in for Cody at third base in the ninth, stepped to the plate and cleared the left-centerfield fence on the first pitch he saw, capping Madison’s comeback effort. It was Gould’s third home run in his last five games.
With the comeback victory and series split behind them, Scott and the Mallards will turn their collective attention toward Monday’s crucial double-header with the La Crosse Loggers (7-5, 26-20) at Warner Park. The first game of Monday’s twin bill (11:35 a.m.) will be St. Mary’s Senior Day with a pre-game walk around the warning track. The nightcap (7:05 p.m.) will by St. Mary’s Senior Night with another pre-game walk around the warning track. For tickets, call the Mallards ticket office at 608-246-4277 or visit www.MallardsBaseball.com for more information.
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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.
