Mallards’ bullpen tosses shutout after trailing early, clinch playoff berth

Wausau, WI – Madison visited Athletic Park in Wausau on Friday night with a chance to win the second half of the Great Lakes West division. The Mallards conquered the division with a 7-2 victory over the Woodchucks.

Out of the gate, the Mallards fell behind in the 1st on a two-run double hit by Andrew Jimenez against Madison starter Tyler Avery. In the bottom of the 2nd, Wausau put two runners on base with one out when a lightning strike flashed across the left-field wall and delayed the game. The pause from play lasted an hour and 52 minutes.

Avery continued on following the delay and danced through the traffic on the basepaths to fill out the scorecard with four total innings. Madison’s bats used the reset button during the forecasted storm. In their first trip to the plate in the 3rd, the first four batters reached and Madison claimed a 4-2 lead on four different run-scoring swings. The Mallards added three more throughout the rest of the contest. Second year Mallard, Davis Hamilton notched Madison’s 37th three-hit game of the summer, driving in two.

Like the bats, Madison’s pitching staff was strong after the delay. After Avery, Andrew Ravelo, Jack Turner, and Jack Bennett closed the door on the Woodchucks to claim the title. The pitchers walked seven but struck out nine in the outing. Bennett entered in the 9th and with one out, Mike Maginnis lined out to Hamilton, who threw to first base for a double play to finish the deal.

The Mallards and Woodchucks will both complete regular season play on Saturday night at Warner Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 P.M. CST. Madison will host game one of the Northwoods League Great Lakes West Playoffs on Sunday against the Green Bay Rockers, time to be determined.