Mallards Swept in Doubleheader, Fall Well Behind in Standings
Madison falls in both games to Fond du Lac to fall further behind
Fond du Lac, WI – The Mallards traveled to Herr-Baker Field to face off with division-rival, Fond du Lac on Wednesday. Madison was swept by the Dock Spiders in what could be a critical blow to a team already on the ropes in the second half.
The Dock Spiders wasted no time in game one as their offense ignites and explodes in the top of the 1st inning with a nine-run frame against Mallards’ starter Drew Erdei. The 1st included a grand slam from Branden Comia. Comia would go on to hit for the first cycle in the history of the Dock Spiders organization in the first of two games on Wednesday afternoon. Madison got a big boost from left hander Reed Butz (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) who saved the Mallards from having to use numerous arms from the bullpen. All three of the runs allowed from Butz came in the first two innings of his appearance. Following the trio of runs, Butz tossed three scoreless innings. Madison’s offense had two solid innings at the plate: the 3rd and the 7th, both adding up for three runs a piece. Scott Shaw hit a sacrifice fly in the 3rd to add to his RBI total. The Ducks were able to flex some extra base power in the 7th inning beginning with Chad McCann doubling to left field, scoring Shaw and Estevan Moreno driving in two with his fifth two-bagger of the season. The Dock Spiders responded with two runs of their own after the stretch. The final result of game one was a 14-6 Dock Spiders’ win.
The backend of the doubleheader began a bit slower than the first. Madison started lefties in both games and Donnie Scott handed the ball to Alex Hayes to make his first start of the year. Following a 1-2-3 first inning for Hayes, Fond du Lac was able to make solid contact in the bottom of the 2nd on a Daylen Reyes triple which scored a leadoff walk and an Alberto Rios single to bring Reyes home. The contest sat at a standstill until the bottom of the 5th. With Hayes still on the mound, he allowed a one-out walk, single, and then a double to be forced out of the game. Gauge Lockhart was the first arm out of the bullpen and he hit Reyes with a pitch to allow another run. Rios, the next batter in Fond du Lac’s order, walked to score the third run of the inning. Noah Tichy hit his first home run of the season for the Dock Spiders in the bottom of the 6th. Fond du Lac continued to add on in the 7th and 8th innings including five consecutive free passes given by Blake Lemmon in a three-run 8th. The final score of game two was 11-0 as the Mallards were shutout for the second time in the second half.
The team heads to Wausau tomorrow night to square off with the Wausau Woodchucks after splitting a home-and-home series with them on Monday and Tuesday. Mallards’ coverage can be found on Mixlr (MadisonMallards) at 6:35 PM.
