Kalamazoo, MI – August 7, 2016. The Madison Mallards (19-11, 42-24) won their seventh straight game in convincing fashion on Sunday afternoon, as they routed the Kalamazoo Growlers (11-19, 31-35) by a final score of 17-7.
The Growlers would jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, after the Mallards were sent down in order in the top half of the frame. The second inning, however, was a completely different story. Zach Jarrett (UNC-Charlotte) led the inning off with a double into left center field, as he laced a 2-0 fastball to the wall. After Cameron Frost (Washington St.) grounded out to third, Nate Palace (Valparaiso) would rip a double down the left field line to score Jarrett as the Mallards cut the Growlers lead in half.
Josh Stowers (Louisvile) would follow Palace’s double with a double of his own. It was the second extra base hit of the series for Stowers, after he launched a 2-R HR in Satuday’s game. The Mallards weren’t finished launching doubles, as Bryce Carter (Stanford) would give the Mallards the 3-2 lead with the Mallards fourth double of the second inning.
Given the lead, Westin Wuethrich (Washington) settled down after allowing two runs in the first inning. He would throw four straight scoreless innings, as the Mallards continued to build on their lead. Wuethrich would finish after throwing six innings, allowing three runs while striking out four Growler batters.
The Mallards would score two more runs in the third, and then proceeded to blow the game wide open in the top of the fourth inning. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, the Mallards would string together a 2-out rally. Nico Hoerner (Stanford) would hit the Mallards sixth double of the game with nobody aboard. Matt McCann (Fairleigh Dickinson) would single on the first pitch he saw, as he blooped a ball over the Growlers second basemen’s head to score Hoerner from second. Nelson Maldonado (Florida) would then come to the plate for the Mallards after the McCann RBI, and he roped a double into right field to score McCann all the way from first. Frost would later single to score the Mallards fourth run of the inning, as the Mallards scored every run in the inning with two outs to open up a 9-2 lead.
After the Growlers plated four in the seventh to make it a 12-7 game, the Mallards would silence the home crowd for good with a five run eighth. Ethan Ibarra (St. Cloud St) led the inning off with a walk in his first at-bat as a member of the Mallards. He would later come around to score in the inning thanks to Maldonado’s second double of the contest. Ibarra would come to the plate for a second time later in the inning, as the Mallards batted around the order as they scored four runs. Ibarra would ad seventeen runs set a new single game high for the Mallards, as they also set a record for doubles in a game with nine.
The Mallards will return to the Duck Pond on Monday night as they play host to the Willmar Stingers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. The game will be Mallards trading card giveaway. It’s also Dean & St Mary’s An Apple A Day giveaway. There will be an appearance by former 4-time MLB All-Star and 1949 American League Rookie of the Year Roy Sievers. It will also be PITCH Night with a postgame catch on the field, followed by a premier of the pilot episode of FOX’s new hit show, “PITCH.” It’s also Dr. Jay Hazen Star Wars Night, as the Mallards will wear Darth Vader themed jerseys to be auctioned off during the game to benefit DAIS.
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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.
