Wausau Clinches Playoff Spot in Late Win
Madison falls in tenth straight as Wausau clinches final playoff spot
Wausau, WI – The Mallards have been fighting to survive through the 72-game season for a week now with all of the departures and injuries the team has dealt with as of late. The team continues to fight, even in a 2-1 loss to the Wausau Woodchucks.
The final two games looked as if they would be the most difficult, especially on the pitching staff. However, the veteran Joel Barker saved a number of young arms by providing over seven innings of work in a game where offense was nowhere to be found. The two clubs combined for eight hits and three total runs in the final contest between Madison and Wausau at Athletic Park. Madison was on the board first but it took until the 7th inning. Errors have been an issue for the Madison defense all year. This time, they used a Woodchucks error to score their only run of the game on a grounder off the bat of Liam Moreno.
Barker (7.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) exited the game after his second strong performance against Wausau on the year, with the bases loaded. Donnie Scott handed the ball to Joey Kalafut to try and work out of the jam with two outs in the bottom of the 8th. Tyler Cox, who walked off the Mallards the last time Madison took a trip to Athletic Park, came through again with a two-run single to take a 2-1 lead. The Madison offense was shut down in the final two frames by Aidan Corn out of the Woodchucks’ bullpen. The only Mallard with two or more hits in the game was Scott Shaw.
The Mallards will host the season finale tomorrow night at Warner Park in what is a consolation game for Wausau before they host Wisconsin Rapids on Sunday for the first game of the Northwoods League Playoff Quarter Final Series. Madison will look to snap a ten-game losing streak and a two-game streak of losing by just one run. Coverage of Game 72 can be found on the Northwoods League Baseball Network with pregame beginning at 5:48 PM and first pitch scheduled for 6:08 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. Now in its’ 29th 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, 300 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 and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.mallardsbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Mallards as your favorite team.
