The Madison Mallards (17-5) won 2-0 in a fourteen inning pitching and defensive battle over the Rockford Rivets (12-10) tonight in Rockford. Five Madison pitchers combined for fourteen shutout innings and fourteen strikeouts in the victory.

Neither team was able to plate a run in the first nine innings, so the game went to extras tied at 0-0. In the bottom of the 10th inning with the potential winning run at third base and only one out, Mallards Field Manager Donnie Scott deployed a rarely seen five-man infield, two-man outfield defense to keep the game scoreless.

TURNING POINT
In the top of the 14th inning, Garrett Kueber (Austin Peay) and Jake Randa (NW Florida State) led off with singles. After a force out, Manager Scott summoned Tyler Plantier (Richmond) from the bench in a rare pinch hit appearance. Plantier blasted the game winning double down the left field line to score the only two runs of the game. Trace Norkus (North Florida) slammed the door shut to secure the win with a three-up, three-down bottom half of the 14th.

TOP MALLARDS 

• Combining with Norkus on the 14-inning shutout were starter Brian Morrell (Notre Dame) (5 innings), and relievers Leon Hunter (North Carolina A&T) (2 innings), Nick Morales (San José State) (3 innings and 6 strikeouts), and Jonah Smith (Creighton) (3 innings).
• Drew Campbell (Louisville) doubled, and had two outstanding defensive plays to end the third and fifth innings to preserve the shutout

NEXT UP
The Mallards embark on day two of their longest road trip of the summer — six more games over the next six days. They play Thursday and Friday night at 6:35 pm against the Wisconsin Woodchucks in Wausau.  Come see the Mallards again Wednesday afternoon June 27 at Warner Park against the Rockford Rivets for a 12:05 pm first pitch.