Madison gain ground on the division leaders with win over Green Bay
Madison, WI – The Mallards rebounded after dropping their previous three with a win over the division-leading Green Bay Rockers on Thursday night at Warner Park, taking game one 6-3.
All three of Green Bay’s runs were scored in the top of the 2nd against Mallards’ lefty Tommy Meyer. After an Austin Fawley walk, Mateo Matthews homered to right field to launch the Rockers in front, 2-0. Two batters later, catcher Nainoa Cardinez smoked a homer to straight away center to extend the Green Bay lead to three.
Like times aplenty this season, the Mallards offense was right there to chip away at the opposition’s lead. That started immediately in the bottom of the 2nd when Canyon Brown doubled to score Jake Goolsby from second base. The bottom of the 3rd is when the offense really began to click. Jake Holcroft, who put together one of four multi-hit performances on the night for Madison, singled to lead off the frame against Grayson Walker. A few hitters later, Ryan Sprock dribbled a ball up the middle which was bobbled by second baseman Jayson Jones to put two runners on with one out. Next batter, Owen Jackson flew out to center field to score Holcroft for Jackson’s 20th run batted in for the summer. After an Isaiah Jackson (3-4, 2B) single, Korbyn Dickerson hit his first triple of the year to score two more runs, giving Madison their first lead, 4-3. Goolsby would drive in Dickerson a handful of pitches later.
Beyond the 3rd, both offenses were hushed. Meyer would turn in his best start of the summer. Working through six innings and striking out a season-high seven in his fourth start. The torch was passed to Trent Simmons in the top of the 7th and Simmons would toss two scoreless frames, allowing just one baserunner.
The Mallards offense would add one more run in the bottom of the 7th off of Asher Finke on Canyon Brown’s second RBI of the night. Green Bay threatened Brock Blatter in the top of the 9th after two walks but Blatter forced a weak groundout from Mateo Matthews to put the Rockers away. Meyer earned his first victorious decision of the campaign while Blatter collected his first save.
With the win, the Mallards gain much needed ground on the top of the Great Lakes West leading Rockers. Madison and Green Bay will wrap up their first series of the season on Friday night at Warner Park, scheduled for a 6:35 P.M. CST start with postgame fireworks from the Duck Pond.
