Dock Spiders erase early deficit with offensive explosion in second half of game
Madison, WI – An early Mallards’ lead was chewed up and spit out by the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders on Tuesday afternoon at Warner Park. Fond du Lac swung for 15 runs on 20 hits to salvage a series-split.
Both teams’ starters pitched for the third time against each other today. Bryce Leedle for Madison and Logan Eisenbarth for Fond du Lac. Today, Leedle had the better of the starts, lasting four and two-thirds while surrendering two runs in the top of the 5th inning. Up until that point, Leedle had punched out five, allowing just a few baserunners and leaving with the decision in his hands. On the other hand, Eisenbarth had only allowed one earned run through 12 innings against Madison this season. That fortune wasn’t the same the third time around. Madison’s offense threw up a three-spot in the bottom of the 1st on a two-run home run for Ryan Sprock (2) and an RBI single from Canyon Brown. With Eisenbarth throwing 29 pitches in the 1st inning, Dock Spiders’ Manager Doug Coe went to the bullpen in the 2nd for Mason Hill.
After the change, it was smooth sailing for both defenses until the 5th when Fond du Lac cut the lead to just one after back-to-back home runs hit by Jared Heinzen and Jack Gorman. After a walk, Donnie Scott opted for Nolan McCracken to make his debut. After striking out Teddy Deters to end the top of the 5th, the Dock Spiders offense jumped on McCracken for three runs in the top of the 6th until Connor Langrell entered to simmer the offensive attack. Heading to the bottom of the 6th inning, Fond du Lac had grabbed a 5-3 edge. Fireworks went off in the bottom half. A leadoff triple smashed by Isaiah Jackson led off the half-inning. He was hit home by Jake Goolsby, who flew a sacrifice fly into center field to cut the deficit to one. One batter later, Estevan Moreno walked and was then caught between first and second base for a rundown. After a circus between the two bags, Moreno avoided a tag from Mason Hill and dove safely into second. The call on the field was safe from the umpiring crew. However, after Fond du Lac’s Coe argued the decision, the crew came together for a meeting. First base umpire Dalton Phillips trotted to the third-base coaches box and explained to Donnie Scott that the ruling was going to be overturned. Seconds later, Scott was ejected from the game.
After the ejection, Fond du Lac erupted for 10 more runs on 12 hits and only dealt with slight pushback from the Mallards offense. Two Madison home runs, a three-run blast for Owen Jackson (2) and the first for Jake Holcroft, cut the lead a handful of times, but was never enough to catch the sprinting Dock Spiders offense. Eight Dock Spiders put together multi-hit games including a four-hit performance from Teddy Deters.
Putting the loss behind them, the Mallards have a premium opportunity to create havoc in the Great Lakes West in the next three days. The league-wide double-header day is tomorrow and the Mallards will play two games in Wausau, who is tied with Madison in second. First pitch in game one tomorrow is scheduled for 12:05 P.M. CST. Following the double-header, Madison will host the division-leading Green Bay Rockers at Warner Park with a chance for first place.
