The Madison Mallards (9-11) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to force extras, but fell to the Rockford Rivets (13-7) by a final score of 5-3 in 14 innings Tuesday afternoon in the first game of a home-and-home doubleheader. The Mallards were able to tally 13 hits and all but one starter had a base knock.
The Mallards opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Cade Bunnell (Madison College) was knocked in by Thomas Smart (Oakton) on a ground ball to first base. The Rivets answered with a solo shot in the fourth inning to knot the game at one.
Mallards starter Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Harvard) made another quality start as he pitched 6.0 innings and gave up just one run. He allowed only three hits and struck out three. Rosenblum-Larson exited the game after the sixth with the score tied at one.
After the Rivets tallied a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, the Mallards responded an inning and a half later. In the bottom of the eighth, trailing by two, Madison strung together three consecutive singles. Smart and Zac Taylor (Illinois) began the inning with base knocks and Maverick Handley (Stanford) executed a perfect bunt to also reach. A throwing error on the bunt allowed Smart to score from second base. Cole Daily (Notre Dame) then knocked Taylor in on a groundout to tie the game at three.
After the bottom of the eighth, both teams were held scoreless for the next five frames. The Madison bullpen arms were effective as David Stover (Marietta) tossed four scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. Andrew Buckley (California) also held the Rivets scoreless as he pitched three innings and didn’t allow a single hit.
Left fielder Zac Taylor made two phenomenal plays in the field as he made a diving catch to end the 12th inning and threw out a Rivet baserunner trying to score from second in the 14th. At the dish, Taylor ended the game with three hits.
In the top of the 14th the Rivets were able to string together four singles and push across a pair of runs. Rivets reliever Jon Laird held off the Mallards in the bottom half of the inning and sealed the 5-3 Rockford win.
The Mallards travel to Rockford tonight to face the Rivets for the second half of the split doubleheader. Matt Horkey (UNC-Charlotte) is scheduled to pitch for the Mallards while Lukas Vienbergs is set to start for the Rivets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM at Rivets Stadium. Listen to all Mallards games live by tuning into The Zone 106.7 FM or 1670 AM. For more Mallards coverage, visit mallardsbaseball.com.
