After earning the two-game sweep of the Battle Creek Bombers Tuesday and Wednesday, the Madison Mallards will look to get a streak going, as they travel to Rockford to take on the Rivets, the newest Northwoods League affiliate. First pitch is set for 6:35 pm and is the Mallards third game as part of opening week, presented by Edvest.
Both pitching and hitting has helped propel the Mallards to their 2-0 start. Game one of the 2016 season saw Justin Watts (Northern Kentucky) strike out ten batters, while in game two the Mallards offense piled on 20 hits. Although games one and two starters Watts and Patrick Boyle (Drew University) both turned in solid performances, the run support this Mallards pitching staff has received is sensational. The Mallards have scored 18 runs in two games, due in large part to big games by guys like Lucas Halstead (Pacific), Zach Jarrett (UNC-Charlotte), Joe Stefanki (San Jose State) and Nate Palace (Valparaiso). The Mallards are hitting .366 as a team through two games.
These numbers will be tested tonight, however, as the Rockford Rivets (1-1) have scored more runs than any team in the Northwoods League (19) and has not seen their bullpen concede a run.
The left-hander Mike Reitcheck (University of Pennsylvania) will get the nod for the Mallards tonight after completing his junior season for the Quakers. Reitcheck threw 52 innings in 2016, striking out 27 and owning a 3.97 ERA.
Rockford will throw southpaw Nick Drahozal (Kirkwood CC) tonight, who struck out 73 batters over 58.2 innings during his sophomore campaign for the Eagles. He went 4-5 with a 3.22 ERA.
The Mallards will host their home opener on Friday, June 3rd when they take on the new Northwoods League affiliate Rockford Rivets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm. Single-game tickets for the 2016 season are on sale NOW! Tickets are available for purchase by visiting MallardsBaseball.com, calling the Mallards ticket office at 608-246-4277, or stopping in the ticket office at 2920 N Sherman Ave.
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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 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016, 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, 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.MallardsBaseball.com
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