Rockford, Ill. – In the first game of a two game series with the Rockford Rivets (9-6), the Madison Mallards (5-9) fell 7-6 in Tuesday’s day game. In what was set up to be a pitcher’s duel, the Rivets scored sporadically throughout the game, including three runs in the ninth inning, to keep the Mallards from walking away with the series opener.
Rivets starting pitcher, Anthony Dahl blanked the Mallards through eight innings in a 1-0 Rivets win in Madison a few nights ago, but today Dahl exited the game after giving up one run in two innings. Mallards starting pitcher Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Harvard) only made it through three innings himself. Several full counts and foul balls in the third inning pumped up the starter’s pitch count and Rosenblum-Larson was forced to leave due to pitch count rules after throwing 38 in the third.
After the dismissal of both starters, the Rivets were able to manage two runs in the fourth inning off the arm of Madison reliever Will Anderson (Northern Illinois). The Mallards immediately responded with a five run inning in the fifth. Madison bats got going when Jeffrey Mitchell Jr. (California) lined a lead-off single into center. With the bases loaded after a walk and a hit-by-pitch, third basemen Thomas Smart (Oakton) slammed the ball into left field to bring home two Mallards. Bases loaded again after another walk, Nick Schrader (Western Illinois) lined a ball into right field that brought home two more. A batter later, Cole Daily (Notre Dame) would ground out to knock in another run.
The RBI from Daily would be the last time the Mallards would cross home plate as the Rivets bullpen gained control of the game in the sixth inning. The Rivets would go on to tack on another run in the seventh thanks to an Anthony Forte single into right field.
The 6-4 lead for the Mallards lasted until the bottom of the ninth inning, when Rivets batter Zach Rheams launched a two run double into the left-centerfield gap. A couple batters later, the bases were loaded for Hunter Feduccia who lined a walk-off single into left field off of Dom Savino (Albany), to give the Rivets the edge in a 7-6 win over the Mallards.
The Mallards will look to bounce back tomorrow night when they take on the Rivets again. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM at Rivets Stadium. The Mallards return home on Thursday, June 15th to face the Green Bay Bullfrogs at 7:05 PM. For more Mallards coverage check out mallardsbaseball.com. To follow along with live updates, check out @MadisonMallards on Twitter.
