The Madison Mallards (42-30) fell 8-4 to the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (36-35) at Herr-Baker Field in the final game of the regular season on Sunday. The Mallards out-hit the Dock Spiders 11-8, but could only muster four runs.

The Mallards took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Austin Blazevic (SEMO) smacked an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 19 games at the end of the regular season.

Fond du Lac countered with a three-run second inning. With the bases loaded, Brad Hudson (Southern Illinois) laced a bases-clearing triple to give the Dock Spiders a 3-1 lead.

Madison tied the game 3-3 in the third inning. Blazevic ripped another RBI single and then Jordan Stephens (Miami-Ohio) plated the game-tying run with a sacrifice fly.

In the fourth, the Dock Spiders took the lead and did not relinquish it. Duncan Hunter (Jacksonville) came off the bench and cranked a pinch-hit, two-RBI single to put the Spiders ahead 5-3.

Stephens roped another RBI single in the fifth and closed the gap to 5-4.

The Dock Spiders tacked on two more runs in the sixth thanks to RBIs from Zeb Adreon (Iowa) and another one from Hunter.

Ryan Sepede (BYU) poked through an RBI single in the seventh inning and pushed the Fond du Lac lead to 8-4, which ultimately held on as final.

River Carbone (Arizona Christian) earned the win in relief for the Dock Spiders.

Chase Gockel (Parkland College) donned the loss for the Mallards after allowing four runs across two innings.

Turning Point

After Zach Prajzner (Notre Dame) left the game with an injury, Hunter came off of the bench and immediately produced for the Dock Spiders. Hunter lined a two-RBI single to break a 3-3 tie and put Fondy on top. The Dock Spiders did not lose the lead after that point.

Top Mallards

• Blazevic ended the regular season on a 19-game hitting streak and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. With a strong second half in the books, Blazevic ended the season hitting .339.
• Stephens drove home a pair of runs and had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3.
• EJ Ranel (Lenoir-Rhyne) went 2-for-5 at the top of the order and scored two runs. Ranel also made a diving catch in right field defensively.

Next Up

The Mallards will compete in the playoffs beginning on Monday. The time and opponent are yet to be determined. If the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters defeat the Lakeshore Chinooks, Madison will head to Rapids for a Monday night matchup. If the Rafters lose, the Mallards will host the Dock Spiders at the Duck Pond on Monday. Game times will be announced by the Northwoods League Sunday night. Hear every pitch of the 2019 Mallards’ season live on The Zone, 96.7 FM and 1670 AM.