Madison, WI – July 7, 2016. Pitching and defense seemed to control most of this contest, but it was the offense that stole the show late as the Mallards (1-1, 24-14) were able to defeat the Battle Creek Bombers (1-1, 19-19) by a score of 3-2.
The Mallards would find themselves in a hole early, with Battle Creek tagging Mallards starter Frank German (North Florida) for two runs in the second inning. A leadoff walk would prove to be costly, with Kevin Dupree (Middle Tennessee State) doubling home a pair of runs with one out.
A Matt Vierling (Notre Dame) groundout in the bottom of the second would score Zach Jarrett (UNC-Charlotte), pulling the Mallards within one early on in the contest. Madison would score again off of an error in the third, tying the game at two each. The two runs were all Madison was able to get off of Battle Creek starter Andrew Click (Davenport), who would work six innings of two-run ball.
Donnie Scott would turn the game to his bullpen in the fourth inning, bringing in Ty Pennington (Nevada-Reno) to keep the game tied. German was able to work his way off the ropes, getting a 3-2 groundout with the bases loaded and one away, but Daniel Jipping (Central Michigan), the Northwoods League South division leader in home runs and batting average, was stepping into the box. Pennington got Jipping to fly out to centerfield, ending the frame. In total, the right-hander would turn in 3.1 hitless innings, keeping his defense involved along the way.
“I was just trying to stay in the moment and locate my pitches,” said Pennington. “You just have to take it one pitch at a time."
The two teams would trade zeros across the middle innings, with the scoring not resuming until the bottom of the eighth inning. Matt McCann (Fairleigh Dickinson) would draw a leadoff walk, stealing second base before Zach Jarrett would be intentionally walked with one out. The newest member of the Mallards, Nelson Maldonado (Florida), would step to the plate, looking to learn from his previous at-bat.
“I was basing my at-bat off of my at-bat in the sixth,” said Maldonado. “The pitcher went fastball then slider, so I was sitting on the slider in the eighth. I was just looking to put something in play.”
Maldonado would get the slider he was looking for, lifting the 1-1 pitch to the wall in left-center field. McCann would come around to score, giving the Mallards the 3-2 lead and the eventual win.
“It was an uplifting feeling to be able to produce for my team and get the win like that.”
After pitching scoreless eighth and ninth innings, Troy Bacon (Santa Fe College) earned the win, his fifth of the season. Bacon has received a decision in every single on of his outings in 2016, going 5-2 with four saves in 11 appearances out of the bullpen. The fives wins are good for tops in the Northwoods League. Max Ritchie (Brown) took the loss for the Bombers after allowing the leadoff walk in the eighth, one of two base runners he allowed in his one plus innings of work.
The Mallards will return to the Duck Pond tomorrow, July 8th at 7:05 pm to take on the Wisconsin Woodchucks. The game will feature an LSM Chiropractic tumbler giveaway. It will also be Wrestling Night at Warner Park, featuring Ted DiBiase, the WWE’s Million Dollar Man. In addition, Potosi Brewing Company will be doing a pint glass giveaway. 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, 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 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 portal. For more information, visit www.mallardsbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Mallards as your favorite team.
