With the bases loaded and the tying run on first base, Jonah Smith (Creighton) came into the game in the bottom of the ninth inning to throw one pitch to induce a ground ball which ended the game, and give the Madison Mallards (4-3) a 7-4 victory over the Kalamazoo Growlers (4-3).  Madison is now tied for first place at the top of the South Division and has won two in a row.

The Mallards built a 7-1 lead after seven and a half innings behind clutch pitching and stellar defense.  David Vinsky (Northwood) gave Madison a 2-0 lead in the third inning with a two-RBI single. The Mallards added two more in both the seventh and the eighth and appeared to be cruising behind relief pitcher Jimmy Perkins’s (Western Illinois) four shutout innings before the Growlers made things interesting.

Turning Point

After three runs crossed and the potential winning run stood at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Donnie Scott summoned Jonah Smith from the pen to save the victory.  A bid for a two-run single up the middle was denied by shortstop Garrett Kueber (Austin Peay) who ranged far to his left to extinguish the Growler rally. The Mallards pitching and defense stranded thirteen Growlers base runners to preserve the victory.

Top Mallards

• Jayse McLean had three hits, including a triple, and a diving catch in centerfield
• Tyler Plantier added two hits and an RBI
• Dalton Morrow pitched the first four innings and stranded the bases loaded twice

 Next Up

The Mallards play an early game Tuesday morning at 10:05 CST against the Growlers. They head home to host the Wisconsin Woodchucks at the Duck Pond Wednesday evening at 6:05 pm. Come early to participate in our Pokemon scavenger hunt. It is also Wisconsin Dells Night and Willy St. Co-op Night. For tickets and more information visit mallardsbaseball.com.

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The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  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 or on Google Play and set the Bullfrogs as your favorite team.