Madison, Wis. – The Madison Mallards (9-6, 28-22) hit the road today to take on the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (8-8, 24-28) at Marian HB Field tonight at 6:35 PM. The Mallards have won eight of their last ten ballgames and will look to continue to keep pace in the Northwoods League South Division.
The Mallards offense exploded for 13 runs yesterday to complete the sweep of the Woodchucks. The Mallards are batting an incredible .301 batting average over the last five games and have averaged eight runs per game. During the ten-game hot streak, the Mallards bats have knocked in 7.7 runs per game.
Scheduled to take the bump for the Mallards tonight is all-star Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Harvard). Rosenblum-Larson will be making his ninth start of the summer, his first after the all-star break. He has tossed 42.1 innings this season and boasts a league-leading 1.06 ERA. Rosenblum-Larson has struck out 51 this season while issuing only ten walks. Overall, the Ivy Leaguer has not allowed multiple runs in any of his outings this season and he hasn’t allowed more than three hits since June 6th.
The Dock Spiders will send Adam Eck to the bump to oppose Rosenblum-Larson. Eck has made seven starts this season and owns a 3.52 ERA and a 3-2 record. Eck has compiled 30.2 innings pitched and has tallied 39 strikeouts while walking 25. In his last outing, Eck went 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits in a loss against Battle Creek.
Game Notes
Steady Sticks
The Madison bats have been on fire lately as the Mallards are batting .301 over the last five games. Over that span, Cole Daily (Notre Dame) is 10-for-20 and has scored seven runs. Sam Armstrong (Jacksonville), who hit a three-run bomb yesterday, is riding a hot streak as he is batting .400 in the last five ballgames.
Clutch Cottingham-Beard
Madison reliever Sam Cottingham-Beard has been lights out recently. Over his last three appearances, he has tossed four scoreless innings and has tallied five strikeouts. Overall, the Madison pitching staff owns a 2.62 ERA over the last ten ballgames and has been crucial to the hot streak.
Zac Attack
Zac Taylor (Illinois) has continued his torrid pace at the plate recently as he went yard yesterday. Taylor has now hit in 12 straight games and owns a .353 batting average. He has been huge in the Mallards two-spot as he has knocked in eleven runs over the last five games.
Today’s game is scheduled to start at 6:35 PM in Fond du Lac. The Mallards will return home on Wednesday, July 26th for a matchup with the Rockford Rivets at 7:05 PM. For live updates of today’s game, check out @MadisonMallards on Twitter and listen live on The Zone 1670 AM or 106.7 FM WOZN.
