Mallards Swept as First Half Concludes
Madison drops both games against Dock Spiders in final series of first half
Fond du Lac, WI – The Mallards were swept by the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders on Monday night by a final score of 10-4 at Herr Baker Field.
The Dock Spiders crawled in front early against Mallards’ starter Kade Lancour following a rain delay of just over an hour to halt the scheduled first pitch time of 4:05. All of the damage in the first inning was done with two outs. Parker Noland (3-4, 3 R) knocked in the first run of the game with a single to center. The next batter Kyte McDonald hit his second home run of the season for Fond du Lac in the lengthy first inning. McDonald, on his birthday, comes a triple shy of the cycle in a three-hit performance. Noland, McDonald, and leadoff man Nick Mitchell all record three-hit nights. Fond du Lac extended their lead in the bottom of the 3rd against Lancour (3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) on a McDonald single. The Mallards’ success at the dish came in the top of the 5th inning. Although the Ducks were held hitless through three, the bats came to life for a short period midway through the contest. After the first two batters were retired, an inning of good swings pushed a couple of runs across the plate behind a Josh Caron three-run home run to tie the game.
Immediately after the game was tied, the Dock Spiders offense went to work against a combination of different Mallards’ relievers. Fond du Lac would score six unanswered runs to ultimately put away Madison in the final game of the first half. The Dock Spiders scored runs in twelve of seventeen innings at the dish in the home-and-home series with the Mallards. Fond du Lac took the first half series with Madison five games to three.
Following the 6th inning, the game took a turn with the umpiring crew. Both sides were warned for talking across the diamond after a Bryce Woody (1.2 IP, 4 K) strikeout of Parker Noland which left both sides barking at each other. The intensity began when the home plate umpire Brett Jiron would not allow Woody to use the glove he had used in every previous appearance. Woody, an All-Star game hopeful who had previously made nine appearances on the year with no contest, had to watch on while his coaching staff went to battle with the three man crew. The Mallards’ right hander ended up needing to make a change as it was deemed his gray mitt was too close to the color of the baseball.
The Mallards will take part in the league-wide off-day tomorrow before records reset to 0-0. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters clinched the first-half title last week in what was a record-setting first half 28 victories. Madison will welcome Green Bay to the Duck Pond on Wednesday to begin the second half as the playoff hunt begins. Coverage can be found on the Northwoods League website under the ‘Live Action’ tab at 6:20 PM.
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The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 28th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 280 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.
