Published On: July 25th, 2015

7-25 pre game CROPPEDMadison, Wis. (July 25) – The lengthiest road swing of the Madison Mallards (13-8, 33-23) second-half schedule will commence tonight at 6:35 p.m. in Mequon, as field manager Donnie Scott and company battle the Lakeshore Chinooks (9-16, 26-31) in the opener of a two-game set at Kapco Park. Saturday’s contest will mark the beginning of a six-game road tour versus divisional competition for Madison, who holds possession of second place in the South Division’s second-half standings.

Left-handed pitcher Grant Spranger (Southeastern CC) will receive his sixth starting appearance of the summer in tonight’s series opener. Spranger, a 6-foot-1 southpaw from Bettendorf, Ia., has surrendered just two earned runs on six hits across his two most recent starts (9.2 IP) for the Mallards rotation – an effort that has lowered his season ERA to 3.11 over 12 appearances (34.2 IP). Overall, opponents have managed just two extra-base hits against him this summer.

The Chinooks will counter Spranger with left-handed pitcher Zach Lowther (Xavier) to open this weekend’s two-game tilt. Lowther, a 6-foot-2 southpaw, was chased by the Mallards lineup after just two innings of work with three earned runs allowed July 17 at the Duck Pond, a game in which Madison was victorious by a final mark of 6-2. In total, Lowther carries into tonight a 2-4 record, 6.06 ERA and 32:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 11 summer appearances (32.2 IP).

  • Goldstein’s Stellar Night, Season – Despite the 16-6 outcome in favor of La Crosse last night at the Duck Pond, Mallards catcher Jason Goldstein (Illinois) turned in an impressive evening at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in, one run scored and a walk. The performance lifted his season on-base percentage to .418 – highest of any Madison hitter with a minimum of 50 at-bats during the 2015 regular season.

The Mallards will return to the Duck Pond on Saturday, August 1 at 6:05 p.m. against the Wisconsin Woodchucks (10-9, 22-32). Saturday will feature The Diamond Center Dig post-game, ice cream scoop giveaway for Mallards fans, while Zimbrick Honda will also present a free kids clinic from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m on the field. For tickets or questions about the clinic, 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.

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