FOND DU LAC, WIS.  — The Madison Mallards went on the road to face the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, Monday night, for the second game in a row in Fond du Lac at Herr-Baker Field. Here they dropped another close game resulting in three loses of the four-game set.

Fond du Lac came out hot early in the game where they scored off a sacrifice RBI to put them up 1-0 in the bottom of the 1^st inning. The Mallards held the Dock Spiders to 1 run up until the bottom of the 4^th inning where an RBI pop fly to Right Field drew in another run for the for Fond du Lac (2-0).

Mallard starter Ernie Day (Iowa Western Community College) lasted until the bottom of the 5^th inning as he was pulled after allowing 4 runs to make the score 4-0 (Fond du Lac). Sam Vomhof (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater) relieved Day.

The Mallards were not on the scoreboard until the top of the 6^th inning when JT Benson (University of Louisville) hit an RBI to draw Alex Iadisernia (Elon University) home to put the Mallards on the on the board for the first time in the night.

In the top of the 7^th inning, Cam Cratic (Missouri State University) stole home plate bringing in another run to shorten the gap 5-2. With 2 outs in the top of the 7^th inning, Bryant Shellenbarger (University of Akron) hit to Right Center to bring in an additional run for the Mallards, making it a 2 run game (5-3).

In the top of the 8^th, Benson drew a leadoff walk. Drake Baldwin (Missouri State University) advanced Benson to 2^nd base on a hit to the pitcher. Soon after, Benson stole 3^rd base on a wild pitch. Cam Frederick (Creighton University) hit a sac fly RBI where Benson tagged up on 3^rd base to draw in the final run of the night for the Mallards (5-4).

The Madison Mallards fought hard to come back in Monday night’s game against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders but could not finish it out in their last at bat, the top of the 9^th inning. The Mallards fell to Fond du Lac, leaving the final score as 5-4.

Dock Spiders starter Bellissimo (1-0, 6.92 ERA) came away with the win, Thomas (3) picked up the end of game innings save, and Day (0-2, 4.19 ERA) was charged with the loss for the Mallards.

Next up, the Mallards have a rematch tomorrow night against the Dock Spiders.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm in Madison at Warner Park.