The Madison Mallards (41-18, 13-10) exploded for 14 runs and 14 hits in Fond du Lac Monday night to win their second game in a row. The loss dropped the Dock Spiders (33-25, 12-11) to seven and one-half games behind the Mallards for best overall record in the South Division. With just 13 games left in the regular season, Madison still holds a four game lead over Kalamazoo for the best record overall.
The Mallards put the game away when they sent 13 men to the plate and scored eight times in the top of the seventh inning.
Turning Point
Connor Churchill (Florida) was locked in a pitching duel with a 2-0 lead as the game went into the bottom of the fourth inning. The Dock Spiders narrowed the gap to 2-1 with a single, and after an infield error, Fond du Lac had the bases loaded with just one out. Churchill worked out of the jam with a routine fly out and a called strikeout to strand three baserunners. That would be Fond du Lac’s last good chance to get back into the game.
The Mallards offense scored 12 runs over the next three innings to turn the game into a rout. Four combined scoreless relief innings by Tanner Rogen (Oral Roberts) and Brian Martinez (Connors State) secured the 14-2 victory.
Top Mallards
• David Vinsky (Northwood) delivered a key two-RBI single to stake the Mallards to a 5-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning and finished a perfect 3-for-3 with 3 runs batted in and 3 runs scored
• After a 3-for-4 Sunday afternoon, Justice Bigbie (Western Carolina) went 4-for-5 and knocked in 3 runs with a double and three singles
• Jesse Forestell (Western Michigan) added to the offensive onslaught by reaching base four times in five trips, lashing two singles, driving in a run, and scoring twice
• Connor Churchill earned the win by hurling five innings of three hit, two run ball
Next Up
The Mallards return home Tuesday night to host the Dock Spiders in a 7:05 pm game. Brew Pub Pizza will be sponsoring a sublimated pizza shirsey giveaway. Playoff tickets for the Mallards first round home game Monday August 13 are on sale at Warner Park or at madisonmallards.com. Listen to all Mallards game action on the Zone, 1670 AM, 96.7 FM.
