Madison, Wis. – The Madison Mallards (13-13, 32-29) return to action tonight with a doubleheader against the Kalamazoo Growlers (9-16, 18-41). The pair of games are both be scheduled to be seven innings with game one beginning at 5:05 PM and game two starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The Mallards will look to carry momentum from a 1-0 walk-off win on Tuesday night at the Duck Pond.
The Mallards offense has continued to be led by outfielder Zac Taylor (Illinois). Taylor has 15 hits over his last ten games and has knocked in ten runs. Overall this season, Taylor is batting .350 and has knocked in 31 runs.
University of Florida righty Nate Brown will take the mound for the Mallards in game one tonight. Brown has worked in five games this season and sports a 3.17 ERA through 17 innings. Brown has compiled 20 strikeouts and has issued only ten walks. Brown pitched one inning in a relief appearance last week.
For the second ballgame, the Mallards will send Heath Renz to the bump. Renz will be making his 11th start and will be looking for his fourth win. Renz owns a 4.50 ERA through his 42 innings of work and has struck out 41 batters while holding opposing teams to a .262 batting average. Renz lasted 4.2 innings in his last start and allowed only one earned run on five hits.
Game Notes
Season Series
The Mallards are 2-3 against Kalamazoo this season but have outscored the Growlers 40 to 31. Zac Taylor is batting .571 off of Kalamazoo pitching this season and reliever Sam Cottingham-Beard (Western Illinois) has struck out seven Growlers in 6.1 innings on the mound.
Tommy Clutch
New Mallards infielder Tommy Bullock (UNC-Charlotte) came through with a huge walk-off RBI single on Tuesday night. Bullock is three for nine at the plate and has drawn a pair of walks during his time with the Mallards this season.
Tonight’s first game is scheduled to start at 5:05 PM with game two beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Gates are set to open at 4:00 PM. The game features a Meriter jump rope giveaway and also JJO 90’s Night. 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.
